An arrest that lasted as long as a trailer
Mehdi Mahmoudian, the brain behind the script for Yek Tasadef Sadeh (that Oscar-nominated Iranian film), is already out. He spent 17 days behind bars. The reason? Sign a paper. One where the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and the repression against protesters were openly criticized.
He was arrested in Tehran and released from Nowshahr prison on Tuesday. He did not travel alone. He was accompanied by two other signatories, Vida Rabbani and Abdollah Momeni. All three were released on bail, although the specific charges remain a mystery.
An Oscar with a taste of protest
Mahmoudian is nominated for Best Original Screenplay. He shares the bill with Nader Saeivar, Shadmehr Rastin and Jafar Panahi himself, the director. The film is a revenge drama inspired by Panahi’s own prison experience. It is also competing for Best International Feature Film presented by France.
Panahi did not bite his tongue when talking about the case. His statement was direct:
“Mehdi Mahmoudian, Vida Rabbani and Abdollah Momeni peacefully exercised their right to express their opinions, but the regime responded by accusing them of ‘insulting the Supreme Leader’ and ‘propaganda against the Islamic Republic’.”
And he finished with a criticism that hurts:
“For years, these types of charges have been used as tools to criminalize thought, silence criticism and instill fear in society. Turning a civil and peaceful act into a national security case is a clear sign of intolerance towards independent citizens’ voices.”
Mahmoudian is not new to activism and unwanted prison visits. He already has a history. But this time, his name comes with an extra shine: that of international recognition. It seems that even an Oscar nomination doesn’t make you safe when you decide to speak up.
