Iran urged to free actor who backed protests

PARIS: Iran on Sunday faced calls from celebrities and rights groups to free the actor Taraneh Alidoosti, one of the most prominent figures yet arrested in its crackdown on the three-month protest movement. Alidoosti, 38, was arrested on Saturday, official media said, after a string of social media posts supporting the protest movement including removing her headscarf and condemning the execution of protesters. Alidoossti has considerable international renown due to her performances in award-winning films, including the Oscar-winning 2016 film "The Salesman".

"Taraneh is one of Iran's most talented and acclaimed actors... I hope she's free to keep representing the strength of Iranian cinema soon," Cameron Bailey, head of the Toronto International Film Festival, tweeted. Prominent British actor of Iranian origin Nazanin Boniadi also took to social media in support of Alidoosti, saying she'd been arrested for "posting a photo of herself without compulsory hijab in solidarity with the protesters".

The New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran said "women are being jailed in Iran for refusing to wear forced hijabs, including prominent actress Taraneh Alidoosti. The power of women's voices terrify the Iran's rulers." The judiciary's Mizan Online website said the actor was arrested "by order of the judicial authority" as she "did not provide documentation for some of her claims" about the protests.

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