Nine entertainment industry organizations on Wednesday issued statements of support of imprisoned Iranian filmmakers and an Iranian actress who has been sentenced to a year in jail and 90 lashes.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the American Cinema Editors, the American Society of Cinematographers, the Directors Guild of America, the International Documentary Association, the Producers Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guilds of America, west and east, expressed support for the Iranians.
"The sentence of 'one year in jail and 90 lashes' to an actress just for playing a role in an acclaimed film, and the continued house arrest of (director) Jafar Panahi, among others ... demands our serious attention," according to the Academy. "We join our colleagues around the world in calling unequivocally for these filmmakers' safety, release and return to filmmaking."
Also read: Iranian Actress Sentenced to 90 Lashes, 1 Year in Jail
In September, six independent filmmakers in Iran who were working with the BBC were arrested on espionage charges. The filmmaker Panahi (above) has been sentenced to prison and banned from both filmmaking and speaking with the foreign press.
And this month, actress Marzieh Vafamehr was sentenced to prison and lashing for her work in an Australian film.
"Nothing is more dangerous to a society than the silencing of art," the Writers Guilds statement says. "Therefore we ask the government of Iran to release its filmmakers and to allow the to live and to work freely, as they have previously done in their country and as most of their fellow artists do in the rest of the world."
Also read: Iran Throws Jafar Panahi in Jail -- Will Spielberg, Scorsese Speak Again?
The Screen Actors Guild wrote that it "deeply deplores the persecution of actor Marzieh Vafamehr and the filmmakers and other entertainment and media industry representatives now under attack in Iran." The union urged Iran "to refrain from stifling the artistic expression of its citizens and to let their unique and valuable voices be heard once again."
And the Directors Guild announced, "We first raised this issue last year immediately after the sentencing of prominent Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi. We are extremely concerned that not only does Panahi remain under arrest, but the Iranian government continues to detain filmmakers and other artists without cause."
Here are the full statements:
Statement from the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
As an international organization representing over 6000 artists in 35 countries, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is deeply concerned whenever and wherever the rights of filmmakers are threatened. The recent arrest of six Iranian filmmakers, the sentence of "one year in jail and 90 lashes" to an actress just for playing a role in an acclaimed film, and the continued house arrest of Jafar Panahi, among others, is a situation that demands our serious attention.
