The Iranian police arrested two prominent actresses for publicly supporting mass anti-government protests that had lasted two months.
By G9ija
BBC reports that the Iranian media, Irna news agency revealed that Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi were arrested after being accused of conspiracy and acting against Iran’s authorities
Ghaziani and Riahi, before their arrest, were seen in public without their headscarves, which was a gesture of solidarity with demonstrators.
The country has been battling demonstrations since September 17, when a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, died in police custody.
The morality police had arrested and detained Amini in the capital, Tehran, for allegedly breaking the strict hijab rules. She died on 16 September, three days later.
There were reports that officers beat her with a baton and banged her head against a vehicle, but police denied that she was mistreated and said she suffered a heart attack.
As the protests were not near to going down in the Middle Eastern country, Ghaziani and Riahi – both multiple-award-winning actresses – were detained on Sunday on the orders of Iran’s prosecutor’s office, Irna says.
Before the arrest, Ghaziani wrote on social media, “whatever happens, know that as always I will stand with the people of Iran.”
“This may be my last post,” she added.
The actresses are among a number of high-profile Iranian public figures to have expressed support for the protesters rallying against the country’s clerical establishment.
