IRANIAN filmmaker Jafar Panahi has been given a one-year prison sentence for spreading propaganda against the country's political system, his lawyer confirmed. This happened on the same day his newest film won several major awards in the United States.
Panahi also received a travel ban within Iran, as stated by his legal team on Monday. Despite the ruling, he was in New York to accept three Gotham Awards, including Best Director, for his latest movie, "It Was Just an Accident". The film was made illegally in Iran.
The 65-year-old director has already served two prison terms in Iran for refusing to follow government rules on artistic work. His films, often created under strict government restrictions, have been praised worldwide but have also faced backlash from Iranian officials.
In an interview just before the latest ruling, Panahi said he still intends to return to Iran, even as he continues to fight against censorship and support artistic freedom.
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