Iran detains well-known actors who took off their hijab

State media announced on Sunday that Iran had detained two well-known actresses who had publicly shown their support for the protest movement and removed their headscarves in an apparent gesture of disobedience against the regime.

According to the state-run IRNA news agency, Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi were both taken into custody after being questioned by prosecutors about their “provocative” social media posts and media activities.

The death in detention of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman of Kurdish descent who had been detained by the morality police in Tehran, set off more than two months of rallies spearheaded by women that have rocked Iran’s religious authorities. Mahsa Amini had been arrested by the morality police.

Authorities in the Islamic republic refer to the demonstrations as “riots” and charge Western adversaries for instigating them.

According to IRNA, Ghaziani, a vociferous opponent of the crackdown on protestors, was detained for encouraging and supporting the “riots” as well as for interacting with opposition media.

The 52-year-old movie diva posted a video on Instagram of herself taking off the required hijab after previously indicating that she had been called by the court.

She tweeted late on Saturday, “Maybe this will be my final post.”

From from point on, whatever happens, know that, as always, I will stand behind the Iranian people till the end of my days.

Ghaziani is seen in the video, which appears to have been shot in a retail district, standing in front of the camera without speaking before turning around and pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

She charged the Iranian regime with “murdering” more than 50 children in a post from last week.

• “Voice of the Oppressed”

Later on in this investigation, Riahi was detained, according to IRNA.

The 60-year-old performer, who is renowned for her philanthropic efforts and has starred in several award-winning films, gave an interview to Iran International TV in London in September while without donning a hijab, a publication that is hated by the state.

She had voiced her opposition to the required hijab as well as her support for the demonstrations that have erupted across Iran in the wake of Mahsa Amini’s passing.

Ghaziani was one of eight persons who were called by prosecutors for “provocative” content uploaded on social media, according to the judiciary’s Mizan Online news site.

Among them was Yahya Golmohammadi, the head coach of Tehran’s Persepolis FC, who had harshly criticized Iranian national team players for failing to “convey the voice of oppressed people to the ears of the government.”

The remark was made after the national football team met with President Ebrahim Raisi last week to discuss their participation in the World Cup, which got underway in Qatar on Sunday.

Mizan said that other notable actors, such as Mitra Hajjar and Baran Kosari, had also been called.

One of the most well-known performers from Iran still living there, Taraneh Alidoosti, shared a photo of herself on social media earlier this month sans the required headscarf.

Alidoosti swore to stay in her country at “whatever cost,” declaring that she intended to give up her job in order to help the families of those who were slain or detained during the protest crackdown.

Before the protest movement spurred by Amini’s killing began, Iranian movie leaders were already facing criticism.

Award-winning filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Jafar Panahi are still being held in custody after being detained earlier this year.