Iranian actor Taraneh Alidoosti was released on bail from a Tehran prison after she was jailed last month for publicly criticizing the Islamic Republic’s suppression of widespread anti-government protests.
(Bloomberg) — Iranian actor Taraneh Alidoosti was released on bail from a Tehran prison after she was jailed last month for publicly criticizing the Islamic Republic’s suppression of widespread anti-government protests.
Alidoosti, the most high-profile person to be imprisoned by authorities in Iran since demonstrations erupted over the death of Mahsa Amini in September, left Evin prison on Wednesday afternoon after posting bail, the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency reported, citing her lawyer, Zahra Minoui.
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Unverified photos showing Alidoosti — star of Oscar-winning film The Salesman — holding flowers outside the prison and being greeted by colleagues and friends were shared on social media.
Alidoosti was arrested in a police raid of her house on Dec. 17 after she posted a photo of herself unveiled on Instagram holding a sign with the popular Kurdish protest slogan “women, life, freedom” with a caption criticizing the execution of 23-year-old protester Mohsen Shekari.
Mizan Online, the official news agency of Iran’s hardline judiciary, said at the time that she was detained for publishing comments “without citation” as well as “provocative material in support of street riots.”
The protests, which were prompted by Amini’s death in police custody after she was arrested for allegedly flouting Islamic dress codes, have emerged as the strongest challenge to Iran’s ruling theocratic system in decades and have been led largely by women and young people.
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