Tehran: Taraneh Alidoosti, one of Iran’s most prominent actresses, Instagram account has been suspended as of Sunday after she was arrested for criticising the state’s use of the death penalty against protesters.
On Taraneh Alidoosti’s 8 million+ follower Instagram page reads, “Sorry, this page isn’t available. The link you followed may be broken, or the page have been removed.”
On Saturday, Taraneh was arrested after she posted on Instagram expressing her solidarity with the first man executed on December 8 for crimes committed during the nationwide protests.
The 38-year-old actress on December 8 denounced the Iranian authorities for hanging Mohsen Shekari.
She wrote on “Instagram” that ”His name was Mohsen Shekari. Every international organisation who is watching this bloodshed and not taking action, is a disgrace to humanity.”
The Iranian actress, known for her roles in several films by director Asghar Farhadi, announced several times on Instagram her support for the demonstrations that erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini, on September 16, after Amini was arrested in Tehran by the morality police for not “respecting the dress code.”
On November 9, Taraneh Alidoosti posted a photo in Instagram post, held up a banner that read “Woman, Life, Freedom” in Kurdish, a common slogan in protests.
Alidoosti is one of several Iranian actresses who have removed their mandatory headscarf in protest against the religious establishment.
Her most famous role was in Asghar Farhadi’s movie “The Salesman,” which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2016.
She has been one of the most prominent figures in Iranian cinema since her teens. She starred in Saeed Rostay’s film “Laila and Her Sisters,” which was screened this year at the Cannes Festival.
Iran protests continues
The Islamic Republic is facing one of the largest and most unprecedented manifestations of dissent following the death of a 22-year-old Iranian-Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini, who was detained by the morality police for allegedly not wearing a headscarf properly.
Her death sparked unprecedented protests in Iran three years ago, led by university and school students, as well as women and girls in various provinces.
Meanwhile, the security forces violently confronted the protesters, killing hundreds of them. The Human Rights Activists News Agency “Hrana” announced that 496 protesters were killed in the unrest, including 68 minors.
At least 18,452 people, including 642 students, were arrested in those protests that took place in 161 cities and towns and 144 universities.
On Monday, December 12, Majid Reza Rahnavard was publicly executed in the city of Mashhad after he was convicted of killing two members of the security forces during his participation in the demonstrations.
The two men were executed less than a month after they were charged, underscoring the speed with which Iran is now carrying out imposed death sentences for alleged offenses related to the demonstrations. Activists said that at least dozens of people have been sentenced to death in closed hearings.
