Iran arrests Oscar-winning actress Taraneh Alidoosti for supporting anti-hijab protests

Taraneh Alidoosti, the Oscar-winning movie actress of 'The Salesman' has been arrested for supporting anti-hijab protests.

Pic Courtesy: Twitter

New Delhi: The Iranian authorities arrested one of the country's most renowned actresses on charges of spreading falsehoods about nationwide protests that gripped the country.

A report by IRNA said Taraneh Alidoosti, star of the Oscar-winning movie 'The Salesman,' was detained a week after she made a post on social media expressing solidarity with the first man recently executed for crimes allegedly committed during the protests.

Iranian authorities arrested the star of the Oscar-winning movie, Taraneh Alidoosti, after she voiced support for anti-hijab protests & posted a photo of herself with the main slogan of demonstrators, Reuters reported citing Iran's media

(Pic: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/c8JGx56TB2 — ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2022

The announcement is the latest in a series of celebrity arrests, that have included footballers, actors, and influencers, in response to their open display of support for anti-government demonstrations now in their third month.

Known as a feminist activist, Alidoosti last month published a picture of herself on Instagram without the Islamic hijab and holding a sign reading 'Women, Life, Freedom' to show support for the protest movement. In the caption, she wrote, "Your silence means supporting tyranny and tyrants,” adding that “every international organization who is watching this bloodshed and not taking action, is a disgrace to humanity." Her Instagram account has since been deleted.

Alidoosti, who has appeared in various popular Iranian TV shows, is known for her activism in the MeToo movement in Iran’s cinema industry.