Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, known for defying bans and imprisonment, is back in the news after his latest film wins at Cannes.
Mehdi Mahmoudian, co-writer of the Oscar-nominated film 'It Was Just an Accident,' was detained in Iran after signing a statement condemning the regime's violent crackdown on protesters. His arrest follows the detention of other signatories, including activists and fellow filmmakers, amid ongoing protests and government violence.
Iran has released several reformist figures, including Azar Mansouri, Javad Emam, and Ebrahim Asgharzadeh, after arrests linked to ongoing protests and government suppression. The releases follow weeks of deadly unrest, with authorities arresting thousands and escalating repression efforts amid diplomatic talks with the US.