“Propaganda against the system” – another prison sentence for Iranian director Jafar Panahi

Renowned Iranian director Jafar Panahi has been sentenced to another several years in prison, according to a report. A revolutionary court in the capital Tehran sentenced him to five years and one month in prison, the Emtedad newspaper reported, citing Panahi's lawyer Mostafa Nili.

In addition, all of his assets should be confiscated. In addition, a two-year ban on leaving the country was imposed.

The 66-year-old traveled back to his homeland at the beginning of April in the middle of the war. “Last week my client announced that his bank accounts had been blocked,” Nili told the newspaper. His investigations into the judiciary had then revealed that Panahi had been convicted in absentia.

The Iranian judiciary had previously sentenced the star director to one year in prison for “propaganda against the system”. A court cited his secretly shot film “A Simple Accident” as central evidence.

The work won the Palme d’Or in Cannes in 2025. At this year's Academy Awards, it received nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best International Film. At the Golden Globes, “A Simple Accident” received four nominations, including best director and best drama.

The Iranian, who is banned from working, has already managed to impress with his works at European festivals in the past. With “The Circle” he won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival in 2000. The documentary “Taxi Tehran” with Panahi in the lead role received the Golden Bear at the Berlinale in 2015.

Panahi has been a prominent critic in Iran for years. He was detained from July 2022 to February 2023. He has been subject to restrictions on professional activities and travel for a long time.