Actor Supporting 'Hijab Protest' Released After 3 Weeks of Detention

"Joyful Event" Welcomed by the International Film Community

Iran's top star Taraneh Alidoosti (38), who raised her voice criticizing the Iranian government in support of the so-called 'hijab protests,' was released three weeks after her arrest.

On the 4th (local time), the British BBC quoted Alidoosti's lawyer Zahra Minoui's statement, reporting, "The client (Alidoosti) was released on bail today."

Alidoosti's mother, Nadereh Hakimelahi, also shared the news of her daughter's release on the social media platform Instagram on the same day. Photos of Alidoosti being released from Evin Prison in Tehran and receiving a welcoming bouquet circulated on Iranian social media.

Taraneh Alidousti

The international film community also sent congratulations upon hearing the news. The official Twitter account of the Cannes International Film Festival stated, "It is very fortunate and joyful that Iranian actress Alidoosti was released after three weeks of detention," urging, "Please continue to pay attention to Iran."

Alidoosti was reportedly arrested by Iranian authorities around the 18th of last month. The first to report the arrest was film director Samia Mirshamsi, who has a close personal relationship with Alidoosti. She posted on her social media, "Authorities searched Alidoosti's home, and currently, her whereabouts are unknown."

Meanwhile, Alidoosti is a top Iranian star with 8 million followers on Instagram alone. She began her acting career in her late teens and gained public recognition by winning the Best Actress award at Iran's international film festival, the Fajr International Film Festival, in 2002.

Famous Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti (38) is celebrating her release with acquaintances and taking commemorative photos in front of Evin Prison in Tehran on the 4th (local time).

She starred in the film The Salesman, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2017, and appeared in Leila's Brothers, which received acclaim at last year's Cannes Film Festival.

Alidoosti has been vocal in criticizing the Iranian government. During the large-scale anti-government protests triggered by Iran's fuel price hike in 2019, she strongly condemned the government, saying, "Iranians are in a situation no different from prisoners rather than citizens."

As the hijab protests intensified, on the 8th of last month, she posted on her Instagram account, "Your silence means support for oppression and dictatorship," and urged the international community to support the protests, stating, "If international organizations do not respond to the Iranian government's brutal executions, it will be a shame for humanity."