Internationally renowned Iranian film maker Jafar Panahi arrested by Islamic regime – protest now!<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Hopi demands immediate release of artist critical of the theocratic regime in films such as \u2018The Circle\u2019 (Darareh) and \u2018Offside\u2019. \u2018Arrest could be pre-emptive strike by regime against International Women\u2019s Day <\/strong>protests and demos\u2019, says Yassamine Mather (Hopi chair)<\/strong><\/p>\n Panahi has been unable to attend film festivals abroad since wearing a green scarf at the Montreal Film Festival in 2009. He was arrested briefly after attending the memorial service of murdered student, Neda Agha Soltan.<\/p>\n Panahi is well known for his socially critical films such as the award-winning \u2018The Circle\u2019 (Dayareh) which won awards at the Venice Film Festival in 2000 including the prestigious Gold Lion Award, and \u2018Offside\u2019, which won the Silver Bear award at the 2006 Berlin Film Festival.<\/p>\n Panahi\u2019s films vividly dramatise the second class status of women in Iran faced and the brutal barriers they face to playing a full and active role in society.<\/p>\n Yassamine Mather, national chair of Hopi, commented:<\/p>\n \u201cGiven Panahi\u2019s subject matter, this arrest could be a pre-emptive strike by the regime against potential anti-government protests and demos on International Women\u2019s Day (March 8).<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWe call for letters of protest to the Iranian embassy in London and the maximum turn-out on the IWD march starting from outside the building on Saturday, March 7. (Details below).<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWe should demand Panahi\u2019s release using our own, militant methods of protests and struggle. But we should have nothing but contempt for the crocodile tears that leaders of imperialist governments that threaten Iran with sanctions and war will no doubt shed over Panahi and others like him.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe theocracy and imperialism have a symbiotic relationship. Iran uses the pressure of the West to brand any opposition to its rule an imperialist \u2018fifth column\u2019; for the West, Iran is a useful bogey-man in a region which is the focus of \u2018the war on terror\u2019.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Hopi calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Jafar Panahi, Tahereh Saidi, their daughter and all political prisoners in Iran. We call on all progressive and democrats to send letters, emails, fax of protest to the Iranian embassy. (Please also send copies to us). <\/strong><\/p>\n ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n Additional information<\/strong><\/p>\n Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran International Women\u2019s Day March, London<\/strong><\/p>\n March 7, 12 noon<\/strong><\/p>\n Assemble in front of Iranian embassy (address above).\u00a0 Speeches will be in Trafalgar Square. Yassamine Mather will be one of the speakers at this event<\/p>\n![\"Panahi-i-Berlin\"](\"http:\/\/hopoi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Panahi-i-Berlin.jpg\" "\\"Panahi-i-Berlin\\"")
<\/a>Iranian film maker Jafar Panahi has been arrested along with his wife Tahereh Saidi, their daughter and fifteen guests who happened to be at their home. State forces took away many of Panahi\u2019s possessions in the course of the arrest.<\/p>\n<\/a>Both expose the crushing inequality of women in today\u2019s Iran. His most famous film in the West, \u2018Offside\u2019, is the story of a group of women attempting to sneak into Iran\u2019s football match against Bahrain during World Cup qualifiers. The women are arrested and chained to the railings outside the stadium. From there, they have to listen to the cheers of the all-male crowd watching Iran\u2019s victory.<\/p>\n
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