An Iranian actress who showed solidarity with protesters in Iran following the death of a young woman while in the custody of the country’s morality police has been released from prison on bail, state media outlets reported on Dec. 4.
Taraneh Alidoosti, 38, was photographed holding a bouquet of flowers and surrounded by what appeared to be friends and supporters outside of Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison on Jan. 4. She wasn’t wearing the mandatory hijab in the photographs.
Her attorney, Zahra Minooei, wrote on Twitter: “Today, my client Ms. Taraneh Alidoosti will be released from Evin prison after posting bail.”
Alidoosti’s mother, Nadereh Hakim-Elahi, also confirmed that her daughter had been released via an Instagram post on Jan. 4.
The actress’s bail was reportedly set at about 1 billion Iranian rials ($23,828). It’s unclear if Alidoosti has been charged with a crime or if she'll be standing trial in the future.
Rana, played by Alidoosti, later is assaulted by an intruder, prompting her husband Emad to search for the culprit. The film was well-received among audiences around the world.
Alidoosti Condemns Death Sentence
In one post in November, Alidoosti posted a photo of herself without the mandatory headscarf while holding up a sign that reads, “woman, life, freedom,” written in Kurdish. The slogan has become popular among protestors.“His name was Mohsen Shekari. Every international organization who is watching this bloodshed and not taking action is a disgrace to humanity,” the post reads.
The government accused Alidoosti of failing to provide proof regarding some of the statements she made criticizing the death penalty.
Alidoosti’s arrest prompted nearly 600 international film stars writers and actors to sign a petition condemning the move and calling for her to be freed, including U.S. actor Mark Ruffalo and Spanish actress Penelope Cruz.
The protests in Iran began in mid-September 2022 following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman who died in Tehran on Sept. 16, 2022, while in the custody of Iran’s “morality police” after she was arrested over her “inappropriate attire.”
Police said she suffered a heart attack while in custody, but her family and supporters dispute this.
The demonstrations have evolved over time into calls for more freedom and demands to overthrow the Islamist regime and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has attempted to blame the United States, Israel, the UK, and Saudi Arabia for fueling the anti-regime protests, which now threaten to destabilize the country—claims that leaders of those nations have denied.
