An Iranian court upholds the prison sentence and travel ban against Jaafar Panahi

Oscar-nominated director Jaafar Panahi (It was just an accidentHe faces another prison sentence and a travel ban after an Iranian court upheld its ruling convicting him of “propaganda against the regime.”

The court upheld a previous ruling issued in absentia when Panahi was traveling outside Iran to support the awards campaign. It was just an accidentThe director was sentenced to one year in prison and a two-year travel ban. Panahi is also prohibited from joining political and social groups and associations.

Panahi’s lawyer, Mostafa Nili, announced on Sunday that the Revolutionary Court in Tehran rejected his objections to the ruling and upheld the ruling in full. In an interview with Iranian media extensionNeely said Panahi was convicted of making a “secret and problematic anti-establishment film,” supporting political and security prisoners, supporting popular protests against the government, supporting the slogan “Women, Life, Freedom,” signing and publishing a statement supporting the truck drivers’ strike, “painting a bleak picture” of the country’s current situation, and reposting a video of the protest.

Panahi’s lawyer said he had 20 days to appeal the ruling.

It was just an accident It was the first film Panahi made after spending 86 days in Iran’s notorious Evin prison on charges of anti-government activity dating back to 2010. He was released after a hunger strike and a successful appeal that led to the original charges being dropped.

In prison, Panahi met activist and political prisoner Mehdi Mahmoudian and they collaborated on the film’s script. It was just an accident The film revolves around a former political prisoner who kidnaps a man he believes is his executioner and then discusses with other dissidents whether to kill him or forgive him. The film premiered at Cannes last year, and won the Palme d’Or. It was chosen to represent France at the Academy Awards and was nominated in the Best International Film category. Panahi and Mahmoudian, along with co-writers Shadmehr Rastin and Nader Sefar, also received a nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

In February, Mahmoudian was re-arrested for condemning the government’s violent crackdown on protesters, which resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people. He was released after 17 days inside.

After the Oscars, Panahi returned to Iran, renting the country on March 30.

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