Iran confirms one‑year prison term for filmmaker Jafar Panahi

Iranian Revolutionary Court in Tehran upheld a one‑year imprisonment for acclaimed director Jafar Panahi, rejecting his appeal. The ruling also maintains a two‑year travel ban and bars him from joining any political or social organisations.

Panahi was convicted of "propaganda against the system" and of supporting protests, notably the 2022 women’s movement. The court cited his covertly shot film “A Simple Accident,” which won the Cannes Palme d’Or in 2025 and was nominated for Golden Globes and Oscars, as key evidence. His lawyer, Mostafa Nili, confirmed the decision and said the restrictions will remain. Panahi had returned to Iran during the ongoing war in an attempt to challenge the sentence.

The case underscores Iran’s continued repression of dissenting cultural figures and reinforces restrictions on Panahi’s professional and travel freedoms.