Afshaneh Bayegan Sentenced to Fine and Travel Ban

Mohammad Reza Etesam, a lawyer and one of Afshaneh Bayegan's attorneys, announced the conviction of this well-known cinema and television actress in court. In an interview with Emtedaad published on Tuesday, August 6, he stated that Ms. Bayegan was sentenced to pay a fine of 2.5 million tomans, which replaces a main punishment of 91 days of imprisonment for the charge of 'disseminating obscene images.' Additionally, she received an 18-month ban on any activity in cyberspace and a travel ban as supplementary penalties. Mr. Etesam emphasized that the supplementary punishment imposed on this cinema and television actress is considered 'heavy' and added that her lawyers will appeal this ruling. He expressed hope that the judges of the appellate court would base their decision on 'the social character of Afshaneh Bayegan and the existing legal flaws in the ruling.' The police announced the formation of a legal case against Fatemeh Motamed-Arya and Afshaneh Bayegan. Female filmmakers played a significant role in supporting protests during the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement in 2022, and several of them removed their mandatory hijab to show solidarity with the protesters. Since then, the security and judicial apparatus of the Islamic Republic has begun to crack down on them, forming legal cases, summoning and detaining some, and banning many others from leaving the country and from working. Afshaneh Bayegan was one of the artists who, during the nationwide protests in November 2022, posted a photo without the mandatory hijab on her Instagram, referencing the slogan 'Women, Life, Freedom,' stating: 'To accompany the light, for the light, for the bright path.' In May 2023, she also appeared without the mandatory hijab and wearing a 'Lion and Sun' earring at a memorial ceremony for Attila Pessiani, a cinema actor. At this ceremony, Fatemeh Motamed-Arya, another well-known actress, also attended without the mandatory hijab. Two days later, the Tehran police announced that a legal case had been formed against these two actresses due to their appearance without hijab at the memorial ceremony. In July 2023, the court's ruling was communicated to Ms. Bayegan, and based on this ruling, she was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment, a 2-year travel ban, a 2-year ban on accessing cyberspace, weekly visits to a psychiatrist until receiving a health certificate, and reading and summarizing a book within two months. Afshaneh Bayegan was also sentenced to mandatory visits to a psychologist for 'treatment of mental illness.' She is one of the well-known actresses who has retired from acting in protest against the Iranian government and the strictness regarding the mandatory hijab and social and political conditions. Hengameh Qaziani, another female actor supporting the 2022 protests who was arrested after removing her mandatory hijab in the street, also announced her retirement from acting. The severe government crackdown and the danger of protests going 'underground' are evident.