Iran sentences leading actress who denounced protest crackdown

A leading Iranian actress has been sentenced to one year in prison in Iran for her support of protesters killed during a bloody crackdown on anti-government rallies in January, a US-based NGO said Friday.

Elnaz Shakerdoust, who acted in dozens of films over a two-decade career, said in February that she would never perform in the country again after the authorities killed thousands in a crackdown on nationwide protests.

The actress’s sentence, which also includes a two-year ban on political, artistic and online activities, was upheld on appeal, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) NGO and the independent outlet Emtedad, which spoke with the actress’s lawyer.

Shakerdoust’s current whereabouts remain unknown.

In her February post, she said “I am in mourning for my dear ones; what festival, what celebration can there be? I will participate in no celebration, and I will never again play any role on this soil that smells of blood”.

In January, the Iranian authorities crushed nationwide protests that began over the cost of living.

Rights groups estimate that tens of thousands were killed, while the government have acknowledged more than 3,000 deaths but blames them on the protesters and US-Israeli orchestration.