Society: Preacher in Iran calls for execution of actress

A well-known Islamic preacher in Iran has called for the execution of actress Taraneh Alidoosti. As the newspaper “Shargh” reported on Twitter, the Shia cleric and former member of parliament Hamid Rasai accused the popular actress of an anti-state attitude on Telegram and described them as “wild criminals”.

There is no charge that would lead to such a verdict. Rather, Rasai’s words should be understood as a reaction to Alidoosti’s critical statements. On Wednesday, the 39-year-old posted statements of solidarity with three protesters on Instagram who are about to be executed in Iran. Iran’s judiciary arrested the men in November and convicted them of killing three security forces in the city of Isfahan. Relatives and human rights activists reject the allegations.

Alidoosti, one of Iran’s most successful actresses, was herself imprisoned in mid-December in connection with the protests against the Islamic system of rule. She had previously shown solidarity with the women’s movement and published a photo on Instagram without the headscarf that is obligatory in Iran. The actress was accused of “spreading misinformation and supporting counter-revolutionary circles” after her arrest. In early January 2023, Alidoosti was released on bail.

Alidoosti’s best-known films include the dramas The Salesman and All About Elly, both directed by two-time Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi. Last year she celebrated the premiere of her latest film “Leila’s Brothers” at the Cannes Film Festival. Public showings of the film in Iranian cinemas have been banned by the Ministry of Culture.