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Hollywood calls for release of Iranian film-makers

Including Panahi, Vafamehr and "BBC" film-makers

BBC: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has led Hollywood industry organisations in calling for the release of jailed Iranian film-makers. Six independent documentary makers whose films have appeared on BBC Persian TV were arrested in September. Actress Marzieh Vafamehr has been imprisoned and sentenced to 60 lashes for being in a film critical of Iran. The groups have also condemned the continued house arrest of Jafar Panahi for making a film about Iranian unrest. Hadi Afarideh, Shahnam Bazdar, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, Naser Saffarian, Katayoun Shahabi and Mohsen Shahrnazdar were arrested last month for providing the BBC with material deemed damaging to Iran. Saffarian and Shahrnazdar have since been released. In a statement, the Academy said that, before the release of these two, all six had been denied access to their lawyers and families "who were forced to remain silent" >>>

from BBC
20-Oct-2011
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Esfand Aashena

I wish the Academy would be more vocal and keep this up.

by Esfand Aashena on Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:16 AM PDT

Everything is sacred


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Jahanshah Javid

And the Oscar goes to...

by Jahanshah Javid on Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:10 AM PDT

Thanks to the Academy for this action. It's a shame for these artists to be punished for no reason other than doing their job. They are not enemies of the state, rather the state is the enemy of the people.


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