Academy calls for release of Iranian film-makers

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has led Hollywood industry organisations in calling for the release of jailed Iranian film-makers, BBC reported.

Six independent documentary makers whose films have appeared on BBC Persian TV were arrested in September.

Actress Marzieh Vafamehr has been imprisoned and sentenced to 60 lashes for being in a film critical of Iran.

The groups have also condemned the continued house arrest of Jafar Panahi for making a film about Iranian unrest.

BBC Persian TV, which can be accessed through satellite TV, is aimed at Farsi speakers, mainly in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

Broadcasts from BBC Persian TV have been jammed in Iran amid criticisms of the BBC by the country's government.

Hadi Afarideh, Shahnam Bazdar, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, Naser Saffarian, Katayoun Shahabi and Mohsen Shahrnazdar were arrested last month for providing the BBC with material deemed damaging to Iran.

Saffarian and Shahrnazdar have since been released.

In a statement, the Academy said that, before the release of these two, all six had been denied access to their lawyers and families "who were forced to remain silent".

"These film-makers - and others - are artists, not political combatants," it went on.

"We join our colleagues around the world in calling unequivocally for these film-makers' safety, release and return to film-making."

It said they deserved the same "full freedom of expression" as any other film-maker, "no matter where they are from, no matter where they work, no matter what their beliefs".