DUBAI: Taraneh Alidoosti, one of Iran’s best-known actresses, was arrested days after she posted a string of messages supporting the ongoing protest movement in the country, with the Cannes Film Festival calling for her immediate release on Monday.
Alidoosti, who starred in 2016 Oscar-winning film “The Salesman,” was arrested on Saturday, a week after she posted on Instagram expressing solidarity with Mohsen Shekari who was recently executed for crimes allegedly committed during the nationwide protests.
She had previously posted a picture of herself on her Instagram page in which she was not wearing the compulsory hijab and holding a piece of paper reading “women, life, freedom” — the slogan of the protest movement.
On Monday, the Cannes Film Festival called for the immediate release of the actress.
“The @Festival_Cannes strongly condemns this arrest and demands her immediate release,” the festival posted on Twitter, along with the hashtag #FreeTaranehAlidoosti.
“In solidarity with the peaceful struggle she is carrying out for freedom and women's rights, the @Festival_Cannes extends their full support to her.”
Alidoosti's Instagram account, which had more than eight million followers, had been shut down. In her last Instagram post, the actor said: “His name was Mohsen Shekari. Every international organization who is watching this bloodshed and not taking action is a disgrace to humanity.”
