Saeed Roustayi's Prison Sentence Confirmed by Appeals Court; Only 'Training Course in Qom' Removed

Babak Paknia, the lawyer for Saeed Roustayi, a young Iranian director, announced the confirmation of his initial sentence by the appeals court. Mr. Paknia wrote on social media platform X: 'Despite submitting a substantiated petition, the 36th branch of the appeals court upheld the initial ruling regarding Mr. Saeed Roustayi and Javad Norouzbeigi in connection with the film Brothers Leila.' He added: 'Only the requirement to attend a training course in Qom and the prohibition on socializing with artists have been removed from the initial ruling. Therefore, considering the violation of the principle of legality of crime and punishment in this case, a request for retrial will be submitted to the Supreme Court.' Two months ago, Saeed Roustayi was sentenced to six months of prison, a five-year ban on any filmmaking activities and interactions with individuals active in filmmaking, and required to complete a course on 'filmmaking while preserving national and ethical interests' at the Qom University of Radio and Television for 'propaganda activities against the regime' and for producing and screening the film Brothers Leila at the Cannes Film Festival. Roustayi's conviction faced protests from prominent filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and the Cannes Film Festival, along with severe criticism from filmmakers against this action by the Islamic Republic. The American PEN Association called for the immediate annulment of Saeed Roustayi's sentence on August 18, stating that he was accused of propaganda activities against the regime due to the screening of Brothers Leila at the Cannes Film Festival. The statement noted that the Iranian regime strategically uses the term 'propaganda' as a tool for repression and skillfully employs it to 'suppress the dynamic exchange of ideas in society.' It further stated, 'The regime's use of this tool has turned the artistic community in Iran into a space of fear and self-censorship, casting a pervasive shadow over creative voices.' The statement continued: 'The regime's tactics aim not only to silence a few dissenting voices but to suppress creative minds eager to express their views.' Global icons reacted; Coppola, like Scorsese, protested Roustayi's sentence. The widespread coverage of Roustayi's conviction in international media, the Venice Film Festival expressed solidarity with Roustayi and the people of Iran. Homayoun Ghanizadeh criticized Roustayi's prison sentence as a sign of desperation from the regime. One of the 'Brothers Leila' supported Roustayi; Peyman Maadi criticized the 'issuers of strange sentences.' Francis Ford Coppola, the renowned American director, protested Roustayi's prison sentence. The American PEN Association stated that Roustayi's prison sentence is an attempt to 'silence' creative voices. The prison sentence of Saeed Roustayi drew reactions from Cannes Festival officials and Scorsese's efforts to annul the sentence.