Mehdi Mahmoudian was detained along with two other people for signing a statement condemning the actions of Iran’s supreme leader.
Iranian screenwriter Mehdi Mahmoudian, nominated for an Oscar for the film “It Was Just an Accident”, was detained in Tehran for signing a statement condemning the actions of Iran’s supreme leader, the North American press reported today.
Citing sources from the film’s distributor in the United States, Neon, reported that the Iranian was detained along with two other people, Vida Rabbani and Abdullah Momeni, who also signed the letter contesting the actions of ‘ayatollah’ Ali Khamenei.
Among the signatories of the document are also the filmmaker Jafar Panahi, director of the filmwho is in the United States on a promotional tour, and the director Mohammad Rasoulof, exiled in Germany, as well as the laureates of the Narges Mohammadi, and Sakharov, Shipping Nasthreth.
Iranian authorities have not yet confirmed the arrest or provided details about the charges against those detained, the Hollywood Reporter said.
In the document, the signatories criticize Khamenei for “authorize the large-scale and systematic murder of citizens” during the repression of anti-government demonstrations that have taken place in the Islamic Republic in recent weeks.
“The large-scale and systematic murder of citizens who courageously took to the streets to put an end to an illegitimate regime constitutes an organized state crime against humanity.”
Underlines the joint statement denouncing the use of ammunition against civilians, homicides, arrests, harassment, the murder of injured protesters and the obstruction of access to medical care, among other acts.
The responsibility for these “atrocities” lies with the ‘ayatollah’ Ali Khamenei, maintained the missive signed by several Iranian personalities, which alludes to the regime’s “authoritarian apparatus” to commit “mass murders” just “to ensure its survival”.
The Iranian government has recognized more than 3,000 deaths, but human rights organizations point to a number in the tens of thousands.
The film “It Was Just An Accident”, shown in Portugal, tells the story of a former political prisoner who considers taking violent revenge on his torturer in prison. The film was co-written by Panahi, Mahmoudian, Nader Saeiver and Shadhmer Rastin.
This is Panahi’s first film since leaving prison in Iran, having won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and is nominated for two Oscars, in the categories of Best Original Screenplay and Best International Film.
Panahi and Mahmoudian met in prison, according to the director in a statement after learning of their arrest.
“From the first day, he stood out, not only for his calm posture and affable behavior, but also for his exceptional sense of responsibility towards others. Whenever a new inmate arrived, Mehdi tried to meet their basic needs and, above all, offer them peace of mind”, highlighted Panahi.
Mahmoudiam, Panahi continued, became a pillar of serenity within the prison, someone whom inmates of all faiths and backgrounds trusted.
“Months after his release (…) I asked him to help me refine the dialogues. His nine years in prison gave him direct knowledge of the judicial system and prison life. Furthermore, his extensive fieldwork in human rights made him a reliable and credible source of consultation”, he added.
Panahi was also sentenced in absentia to one year in prison by the Iranian authorities last December, for reasons similar to those of Mehdi Mahmoudian, having assured that, as soon as he finishes promoting the film, he will return to Iran.
