(MENAFN) Renowned Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof has been sentenced to eight years in prison and faces flogging for alleged national security offenses, as reported by his lawyer, Babak Paknia, on the social platform X. The court deemed Rasoulof's films and documentaries as evidence of colluding with intentions detrimental to the country's security. Additionally, the court imposed an unspecified fine and ordered the confiscation of Rasoulof’s assets.
This sentencing follows Rasoulof's previous legal troubles in 2022, when he was sentenced to one year in prison and prohibited from filmmaking for two years on charges of "propaganda against the system." Rasoulof, acclaimed for works such as "There Is No Evil," which earned him a Golden Bear at the 2020 Berlinale, and "A Man of Integrity," honored at Cannes in 2017, has long faced government pressure due to his cinematic endeavors.
His latest film, "The Seed of the Sacred Fig," slated for premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, has been met with scrutiny and interference from Iranian authorities. Paknia revealed that members of the production team, including actors, were subjected to interrogations and travel restrictions, with some allegedly pressured to persuade Rasoulof to withdraw the film from the festival.
With uncertainties looming over Rasoulof's ability to attend the Cannes screening, concerns persist regarding artistic freedom and censorship within Iran's cultural landscape. Despite international recognition for his contributions to cinema, Rasoulof's career has been marred by recurrent arrests and passport confiscations by Iranian authorities, according to Human Rights Watch.
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