Lawyer says award-winning Iran filmmaker summoned to prison
Amir Vahdat | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 8 months AGO
FILE - In this May 24, 2013 file photo, Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof poses during a photo call for the film The Immigrant at the 66th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France. Nasser Zarafshan, a lawyer for Rasoulof, who just won the Berlin Film Festival's Golden Bear, told The Associated Press on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, that Rasoulof has been summoned to serve a one-year prison sentence. The lawyer said the sentence came from three films he made that authorities found to be “propaganda against the system.” (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)
Actress Baran Rasoulof, holds The Golden Bear for Best Film in place of director Mohammad Rasoulof, who did not attend, for the film 'Sheytan vojud nadarad' (There Is No Evil) after the award ceremony at the 70th International Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin, Germany. Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
Actress Baran Rasoulof, holds The Golden Bear for Best Film in place of director Mohammad Rasoulof, who did not attend, for the film 'Sheytan vojud nadarad' (There Is No Evil) after the award ceremony at the 70th International Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin, Germany. Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (Joerg Carstensen/DPA via AP, Pool)
Actress Baran Rasoulof, left, holds aloft The Golden Bear for Best Film in place of director Mohammad Rasoulof, who did not attend, for the film 'Sheytan vojud nadarad' (There Is No Evil), presented by actor Jeremy Irons during the award ceremony at the 70th International Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin, Germany. Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
Cast and crew of the film 'Sheytan vojud nadarad' (There Is No Evil), hold The Golden Bear for Best Film in place of director Mohammad Rasoulof, who did not attend, during the award ceremony at the 70th International Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin, Germany. Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian filmmaker who just won the Berlin Film Festival's Golden Bear has been summoned to serve a one-year prison sentence over his movies, his lawyer said Wednesday.
Mohammad Rasoulof's sentence came from three films he made that authorities found to be “propaganda against the system," his lawyer Nasser Zarafshan told The Associated Press. Rasoulof's sentence also included an order than he stop his filmmaking for two years as well, the lawyer said.
The filmmaker received the order via a text message from the judiciary, Zarafshan said. Rasoulof will not turn himself into authorities and will appeal the order, especially given the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in Iran, the lawyer said. Authorities already sent 54,000 prisoners on temporary furlough over concerns about the virus spreading through the country's prison system.
There was no immediate state media report about Rasoulof's summons, nor any comment from judiciary officials.
Rasoulof just won the Berlin Film Festival's top prize for his film “There Is No Evil.” The film tells four stories loosely connected to the use of the death penalty in Iran and dealing with personal freedom under tyranny.
Rasoulof wasn't there to accept the award Saturday due to a travel ban imposed on him by Iranian authorities.
Organizers left an empty chair and name sign for Rasoulof at the news conference for his entry. Germany's dpa news agency reported that Rasoulof's daughter, Baran, accepted the Golden Bear award on his behalf.
Rasoulf has faced problems before for his work in Iran. In 2011, Rasoulof and fellow director Jafar Panahi were arrested in Iran for filming without a permit. The pair received six years in prison and were banned from filmmaking for 20 years on charges that included "making propaganda" against the ruling system, but Rasoulof's sentence was later reduced to a year on appeal.
His film "Goodbye" won a prize at Cannes in 2011, but the director wasn't allowed to travel to France to accept it.