Iran protests: Secret committee 'punished celebrities over dissent'

Iran formed a concealed committee past twelvemonth to punish celebrities who backed the existent anti-government protests, leaked documents seen by the BBC show.

In a missive dated 22 September, conscionable six days aft the unrest began, the committee sent the system ministry a database of 141 well-known figures.

It told the ministry to analyse their taxation returns and instrumentality unspecified enactment against them.

The database included shot fable Ali Daei and apical histrion Taraneh Alidoosti.

They are among dozens of artists, sportspeople and societal media influencers who person faced economical sanctions, question bans oregon detention implicit the past 7 months aft supporting the protesters' calls for basal freedoms.

Demonstrations dispersed rapidly crossed the state pursuing the decease successful custody connected 16 September of Mahsa Amini, a young pistillate who was detained by morality constabulary successful Tehran for allegedly wearing her hijab "improperly".

Hundreds of radical person died and thousands much person been detained successful a convulsive crackdown by information forces, which person portrayed the protests arsenic foreign-instigated "riots".

BBC Persian obtained 3 documents done a Middle Eastern quality root that uncover however the authorities took swift and co-ordinated enactment successful an effort to deter celebrities from not pursuing the authoritative line.

The missive dated 22 September announces decisions by a alleged "Celebrity Task Force" and identifies its president arsenic the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili, who has been sanctioned by the European Union for allegedly committing superior quality rights violations.

It says the system ministry has been instructed to look astatine the taxation returns of 141 well-known figures perceived by the committee to person played an important relation successful fuelling the unrest and to instrumentality "anticipated restrictions according to the law".

As good arsenic Ali Daei and Taraneh Alidoosti, who was arrested connected 17 December aft condemning the execution of a protester and released connected bail 2 weeks later, the celebrities connected the database included filmmakers Asghar Farhadi, Pegah Ahangarani, Manijeh Hekmat, Barzou Arjomand and Shahin Samadpour, and erstwhile TV big Ehsan Karami.

The missive does not springiness details astir the "restrictions" they faced, but 1 of those named told BBC Persian: "Instagram influencers were threatened by officials that if they continued to enactment the protests they would person to wage taxes connected each the income they person from their online activities, which would magnitude to a important sum."

Two different individuals confirmed that their slope accounts were blocked aft they expressed enactment for the protests.

Another document, marked arsenic "top secret" and dated 26 September, says that the "Celebrity Task Force" has been renamed the "Celebrities Committee" and made permanent.

It besides says that the committee's responsibilities person been divided, with the civilization and quality ministry dealing with "artists, singers and media personalities", and the sports ministry and Revolutionary Guards' quality bureau taking implicit sportspeople.

The papers warns that immoderate determination regarding the celebrities "should beryllium made successful a mode that minimises costs and maximises benefits successful controlling disturbances and supporting the principles of the regime".

The 3rd document, dated 1 November, discusses however to woody with footballers up of the World Cup successful Qatar and says the assets of a well-known subordinate and manager should beryllium frozen.

The papers besides says the committee has been angered by the "continuous audacity" of the histrion Fatemeh Motamed-Arya and that it has asked the Tehran prosecutor's bureau to "quickly indict her and enactment her lawsuit connected the docket with priority".

Ms Motamed-Arya had posted photos of herself without a hijab and released a strongly-worded video complaining astir being featured successful a authorities billboard showing hijab-wearing women.

And contempt their expected absorption connected sportspeople, the papers says Revolutionary Guards' quality agents person been fixed support to detain the histrion Katayoun Riahi.

Ms Riahi, 1 of the archetypal actresses to region her hijab successful enactment of the protests, was reportedly arrested adjacent the bluish metropolis of Qazvin connected 20 November and released connected bail a week later.