Overview
- Mahmoudian was detained in Tehran on Saturday after he and 16 others signed a statement accusing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of responsibility for mass, systematic killings during the protest crackdown.
- Neon and the Human Rights Activists News Agency said fellow signatories Vida Rabbani and Abdollah Momeni were also arrested, with no charges disclosed.
- Iranian officials have not publicly confirmed charges or provided details, and communications restrictions have hindered independent verification of casualty and arrest figures.
- Director Jafar Panahi, a co-writer and signatory who was sentenced in absentia to a one-year term late last year, issued a public statement condemning Mahmoudian’s detention.
- The film was made covertly in Iran, won the 2025 Palme d’Or, and is nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature at the March 15 Oscars, intensifying international scrutiny.