September 24, 2019

Filmmaker’s Family Blocked From Boarding Flight in Tehran: “Iran is Sick and Making Everyone Sick”

Filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi ...

July 30, 2019

Iranian Heavy Metal Band Members Escape to Norway After Receiving Prison Sentences

Nikan Khosravi and Arash Ilkhani, members of the Iranian heavy metal band Confess, have left Iran to escape prosecution and prison for their ...

July 24, 2019

Mohammad Rasoulof’s Films Were Banned in Iran, Now He’s Been Sentenced to Prison

“We have to pay a price, and every person will pay some price,” says acclaimed filmmaker July 24, 2019 – The sentencing of award-winning filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof to one year in prison for the content of his films has ...

June 20, 2019

Abdolreza Kahani: “We are Born Into Censorship”

In Iran, the Ministry of Guidance and Islamic Culture imposes a strict process of review and approval for all screenplays before films can be legally ...

February 22, 2019

Concert Cancellations Continue in Mashhad Due to Intolerance by Religious Conservatives

A concert by the popular Persian pop band Hoorosh was canceled by judicial order an hour ...

January 14, 2019

Musician Ali Ghamsari Banned From Performing in Iran After Refusing to Remove Female Singer

"Our Sing-Along Didn’t Violate Any Rules" After the Iranian authorities banned musician Ali Ghamsari from performing “until further notice” for refusing to ...

January 11, 2019

Famed Iranian Playwright Mohammad Rahmanian Charged for Allegedly Featuring Female Soloist

Complaint Brought by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Prominent Iranian theater director and playwright Mohammad Rahmanian has been charged with “propaganda against the state” based ...

March 30, 2018

Metal Band Member Sentenced to Six Years Prison in Iran Accused of Creating “Satanic Music”

Nikan Khosravi, a member of the Iranian metal band “Confess,” left Iran for Turkey to avoid being imprisoned for six years for ...

January 24, 2018

She’s a Professional Iranian Singer But is Banned from Singing on Stage in Her Country

“I am a professional Iranian singer but I am ...

December 8, 2017

Iran’s Culture Minister Says He’s Trying to “Transform” Conservative Clerics’ Views on Music

Before musicians can perform concerts in Iran without the threat of the authorities suddenly canceling them, someone has to convince conservative ...

May 5, 2017

Rouhani Government Touts Amendment Blocking Police From Unilaterally Stopping Music Concerts

Effectiveness of Legal Measure Remains Unclear The government of President Hassan Rouhani has announced the passage of a new amendment intended ...

November 6, 2016

Ailing Music Distributor Refuses Hospital Treatment, Vows to Hunger Strike Until Demands Met

Imprisoned music distributor Mehdi Rajabian, who is currently on hunger strike with his brother Hossein Rajabian, has refused hospital treatment ...

August 15, 2016

Rouhani Battles Religious Hardliners Over Concert Cancellations in Iran

A simmering battle between the government of President Hassan Rouhani and hardline religious figures over music concerts is playing out in northeastern Iran. ...

February 22, 2016

Iranian Kurdish Filmmaker Sentenced to 223 Lashes and One Year in Prison

Keyvan Karimi, an Iranian Kurdish documentary filmmaker, has been sentenced to 223 lashes and one year in prison for “insulting the sacred.” Karimi’s ...

January 28, 2016

Family of Imprisoned Iranian Producer: Canada Must Do More

The family of prisoner of conscience Mostafa Azizi is calling on Canada to exert more pressure on Iran to release him following the prisoner ...

January 28, 2016

Iranian Artists Call for Immediate Release of Music Distributors

A coalition of Iranian artists have called for the immediate release of three music producers sentenced to six years in prison for promoting underground music in ...

January 21, 2016

Faraghdani’s Handshake with Her Lawyer is Not a Crime, Judge Rules

Prisoner of conscience Atena Faraghdani and her lawyer, Mohammad Moghimi, have been acquitted of “illegitimate relations” for shaking hands during a prison visit. “My daughter was ...

January 11, 2016

Detained Poet Describes Being Transported in a Cage and Watched “Like a Murderer”

Two-Day Ordeal Included Solitary Confinement and Incarceration with Criminals The poet Hila Sedighi, who was arrested and held for two days amidst an ...

January 9, 2016

Hila Sedighi Released on Bail

Hila Sedighi was released on bail on the evening of Saturday, January 9 in Tehran. The authorities did not provide any details regarding the reason for her ...

January 8, 2016

Young Poet Hila Sedighi Arrested at Airport in Tehran, Latest in String of Arrests

Photo by Reza Baharinejad from Hila Sedighi's Facebook page Freedom of Artistic Expression ...

January 3, 2016

Judge’s Tirade Bodes Poorly for Independent Music Producers in Iran

An Appeals Court judge has admonished collaborators of a popular music site for ignoring repeated warnings that they were operating illegally and having ties with Iranian singers abroad opposed ...

December 24, 2015

Popular Iranian Poet Arrested for Third Time amidst Hardline Crackdown against Artistic Community

The well-known Iranian poet Mohamadreza Haj Rostambegloo was released on bail from Karaj’s Central Prison last week, following his third arrest by the authorities in Iran ...

December 12, 2015

Underground Music Distributors Await Appeal Decision for Six Years in Prison

Two musicians and a filmmaker who were jointly sentenced to six years in prison and fined 200 million rials (about $6,650) each for “insulting the sacred” and ...

December 4, 2015