An Iranian court has rejected an appeal against a one-year jail sentence by director Jafar Panahi, who is now reportedly back in his homeland after winning top prize at last year’s Cannes film festival, his lawyer was quoted as saying on June 7.
A Tehran Revolutionary Court fully upheld the original December verdict of another court, although Panahi can still lodge a new appeal with a provincial court, lawyer Mostafa Nili told the website of Iranian daily Etemad.
The ruling means that the original judgement of one year in prison and a two-year travel ban on charges of “propaganda” against Iran’s clerical system still stands, the lawyer added.
Iran’s ISNA news agency had said in May that the director, who as well as winning the Cannes Palme d’Or was nominated for an Oscar for his film “It Was Just an Accident,” had returned to Iran on March 30, shortly after the annual ceremony in Los Angeles.
While abroad promoting the film, Panahi had expressed outrage over the Iranian authorities’ crackdown in January on anti-government protests, which according to rights groups left thousands dead.
Panahi has not posted on his Instagram account since February, nor himself confirmed that he has returned to Iran. The U.S.-Israeli war against was still ongoing when he reportedly went home.
