Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, known for his bold cinematic style, has been handed a harsh sentence by an Iranian court. The news has ignited global concerns about artistic freedom and human rights in Iran.
Rasoulof is best known for his thought-provoking works, including “There Is No Evil,” winner of the Golden Bear at the 2020 Berlinale festival. He now faces prison, flogging, and other punitive measures on charges of national security crimes, according to his lawyer Babak Paknia.
In a post on X, Paknia wrote that the Iran Islamic Revolution Court sentenced Rasoulof to eight years of imprisonment, flogging, a fine and confiscation of the director’s property.
The court said the filmmakers’ movies and documentaries are “examples of collusion with the intention of committing a crime against the security of the country.”
A Court of Appeal confirmed the judgment. According to Paknia the case has now been sent for enforcement.
Iranian Filmmaker Censored
There is an ongoing struggle faced by artists in Iran, where creative expression often clashes with state-imposed restrictions. The authoritarian country does not allow any criticism of the government.
