Reactions to the Possible 'Killing' of Bahareh Lalehi in Custody: 'The Children of Iranian Cinema Have Been Put to Sleep'

Some news sources report that a director and screenwriter who had been detained was killed in prison and secretly buried in Behesht Sakineh Cemetery in Karaj. On the other hand, it is said that the police announced that she committed 'suicide.' These reports have sparked reactions on social media. According to reports circulating on social media, 'Bahareh Lalehi Haji Delai,' a 40-year-old director and screenwriter residing in Tehran, who had previously been detained during the nationwide protests of 2021, went missing in Winter 2023. Reports indicate that this cultural activist was buried in Behesht Sakineh Cemetery in Alborz province 'without her family's knowledge,' and they were informed afterward. According to the records in the 'Behesht Sakineh' system, the date of Bahareh Lalehi's death is listed as 'April 2, 2024,' which, according to reports, is 'two to four weeks after her disappearance.' The 'Tavana' training center reported that Bahareh Lalehi's family is 'under severe pressure' and has been 'threatened' to remain silent, with her mother 'worried about her five other children.' According to this report, Bahareh Lalehi was 'killed more than two months ago,' and a memorial service for her was held at 'Takieh Iraei' in Amol about ten days ago. According to sources from Tavana, this filmmaker had a 'very active presence' in the nationwide protests of 2021 and was buried as 'unknown' on April 2 after a period of disappearance. According to this report, Bahareh Lalehi's family found that her 'house had been ransacked' during their visit to her residence, while 'the police say Bahareh committed suicide,' but 'the ambiguity here is that if she committed suicide, who ransacked the house? Why are her phone and laptop missing? Why was she buried as unknown despite her national ID being present in the police file and found at home?' According to this report, neighbors reported that there was a 'smell coming from her apartment,' and when the police visited, 'the apartment was locked from the outside with a large lock,' raising the question that if Ms. Lalehi committed suicide, 'how was the outer door locked?' Additionally, 'the continuous stopping of a white Toyota car with two male occupants in front of her house in the days prior had drawn the attention of local residents.' Saeed Parsa, a journalist and writer, described Bahareh Lalehi as a 'cinema instructor and judge of short film festivals' who was 'killed in prison' and 'buried in ignorance of her family,' stating on social media that 'the family had to pay 15 million tomans to find out where Bahareh was buried.' In response to these reports, Amir Tudehroosta, chairman of the board of the 'Iran Short Film Association,' wrote a letter to Ali Dehkordi, CEO of the House of Cinema, requesting an investigation into the 'murder, death, or suspicious passing' of Bahareh Lalehi. The letter states: 'Following the publication of various news and controversies regarding the murder, death, or suspicious passing of Ms. Bahareh Lalehi, a member of the Iran Short Film Association, we kindly request that you take appropriate action as soon as possible through security and judicial authorities to obtain a real report of the tragic incident.' The chairman of the Iran Short Film Association also emphasized: 'Members of this profession are seriously and insistently calling for an investigation and clarification regarding the circumstances of losing one of their members and hope that the House of Cinema will clarify the unknown aspects of this bitter event.' Hossein Ronaghi, a civil activist, shared a description of this report on social media, writing: 'Are they hiding another truth under the soil?' Gohar Eshghi, the mother of the late blogger Sattar Beheshti, who was killed in custody years ago, emphasized that 'the Islamic Republic must go,' calling Bahareh Lalehi a 'hero of the nation' who was imprisoned due to her participation in the 'Mahsa Uprising' by 'Khamenei's repressive forces.' Ashkan Khatibi, a theater and cinema actor, criticized the silence of his colleagues regarding Bahareh Lalehi's killing, stating: 'An Iranian director and instructor and screenwriter was killed, but no voice has come from a colleague. The children of Iranian cinema have been put to sleep.' Some users also pointed out the double standards of famous cinematic figures. For instance, Moloud Hajizadeh, a journalist, wrote: 'Your eyes were on Rafah, but the crime inside the prisons of the Islamic Republic continues to be alive and present.' Babak Ghafouriazadeh, a journalist, also mentioned the names of Kiumars Pourahmad, Dariush Mehrjui, and Bahareh Lalehi, pointing to the increasing trend of killing artists and asking: 'Shouldn't the demand for clarification of what is happening be raised more loudly?' Mohammad Aghazadeh, a veteran journalist, was another user who reacted to the news of Bahareh Lalehi's killing; he wrote on social media: 'The death of a filmmaker in prison is a bitter incident. It would be better if the responsible authorities would tell what happened to her; grappling with art and artists has dire consequences in society. Why do you make thousands of artists pour the poison of depression and rebellion into souls with their works?'