Majgan Khalighi, Film and Theater Director, Arrested

Majgan Khalighi, a film and theater director, was arrested on Saturday, November 20, after visiting the Isfahan prosecutor's office to retrieve her personal belongings. According to the Instagram page 'Theater Theater', this filmmaker had been arrested last year in Isfahan and accused of 'acting against national security', with government agents seizing her communication devices. The report states that Ms. Khalighi, director of the confiscated film 'Cabaret', had traveled to Isfahan to provide artistic consultation at the invitation of a company called 'Phoenix'. Following nationwide protests against the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police, artists supporting the protesters and opposing compulsory hijab have faced increasing security pressures from the Iranian government. While Iranian media reported a list of twenty actresses opposing compulsory hijab, announcing their prohibition from activity by the Cinema Organization's supervision department, the Tehran prosecutor has also filed complaints against seven female filmmakers. These seven filmmakers include Taraneh Alidoosti, Majgan Ilanlou, Hengameh Qaziani, Tahmineh Milani, Sahar Valadbiqi, Maryam Bobani, and Hanieh Tosoli, who have been accused of 'spreading falsehoods'. Furthermore, punitive actions against female filmmakers opposing compulsory hijab have faced a wave of criticism from cinema and theater activists both inside and outside Iran. The head of the Cinema Organization stated that 'unveiled' actresses cannot work unless they 'apologize'. Marzieh Boroumand resigned from the House of Cinema following controversial statements regarding 'war with Israel', stating 'my existence no longer bears fruit'. Hengameh Qaziani was summoned to the Culture and Media Prosecutor's Office. Two cinema guilds described the prohibition of female actors as a 'clear example of crisis creation'.