An Iranian court has sentenced prominent filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof to eight years in prison and flogging on charges related to national security, according to his lawyer. The court ruled that Rasoulof’s films and documentaries were deemed to pose a threat to the country’s security.
In addition to the prison sentence and flogging, the court also imposed an undisclosed fine and ordered the confiscation of Rasoulof’s property. The filmmaker, known for his award-winning work such as “There Is No Evil” and “A Man of Integrity,” has faced pressure from the Iranian government ahead of the premiere of his latest film “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” at the Cannes Film Festival.
Rasoulof’s lawyer alleged that the director and his production team were subjected to intimidation tactics by Iranian officials, including interrogations of actors and attempts to prevent them from leaving the country. Some individuals claimed they were pressured to convince Rasoulof to withdraw his film from the festival.
This is not the first time Rasoulof has faced legal trouble in Iran. In 2022, he was sentenced to one year in prison and banned from filmmaking for two years on charges of spreading propaganda against the government. Human Rights Watch has reported multiple instances of Rasoulof being arrested and having his passport confiscated by Iranian authorities due to his work.
Iran’s Independent Filmmaker Association has condemned the recent sentencing of Rasoulof, criticizing the judiciary for what they view as a biased and unjust decision. The association expressed solidarity with Rasoulof and other artists facing government censorship, denouncing what they perceive as an abuse of legal power.