SAG-AFTRA Condemns Arrest Of Iranian Actress Taraneh Alidoosti

SAG-AFTRA has condemned the arrest by the Iranian government of Taraneh Alidoosti, the internationally acclaimed actress who starred in the Oscar-winning film The Salesman.

She was arrested for allegedly making “unsubstantiated comments about recent events” after expressing solidarity on social media with protests that have been sweeping the country. She also called on the international community to act. According to human rights activists, almost 500 people have been killed and more than 18,000 arrested since the protests began.

“Alidoosti’s arrest follows death sentences and executions of protesters, as well as the arrests of prominent Iranians, including actors Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Rishi, as the nation ramps up its human rights abuses against its own people,” the guild said in a statement. “We salute the bravery of Alidoosti, Ghaziani and Rishi, and the countless activists who risk everything for the right to live their lives free from oppression. They show us that, even in the face of brutal repression, the human spirit shines.”