Cinema Artists Protest Strange Ruling Against an Actress; An Insult to the Intelligence of All Cinema Professionals

Following the announcement of a ruling against Azadeh Samadi, an actress in Iranian cinema, which included a six-month ban on using social media and mandatory therapy due to her alleged anti-social personality, filmmakers, directors, producers, and actors released protest statements. The two cinema guilds, directors and producers, stated in their declaration: "We protest the ruling issued against the respected actress Azadeh Samadi, and we consider the last clause of this strange ruling, which mandates compulsory attendance at psychology classes for the treatment of anti-social personality disorder, an insult to the intelligence of all cinema professionals and contrary to the principles of a republic that prides itself on religious democracy." The statement continued: "It seems that some wish to close off any discourse with such rulings and bypass the republic." The joint statement concluded: "We stand firmly alongside all female actors in Iranian cinema and those artists who are unfairly humiliated by similar rulings, and we protest all rulings issued so far." The Actors Guild also released a statement in protest of the strange ruling against Azadeh Samadi, describing it as "very strange, astonishing, and parts of it as humiliating," stating: "Cinema and theater are cultural hallmarks of any country, and the destruction of artists results in nothing but the disruption of the psychological security of society. This guild, in accordance with its professional duty to support the occupational activities and pursue the professional rights of its members, expresses its strong objection to the issuance of this ruling."