Tehran court upholds Jafar Panahi prison sentence travel ban

A Tehran court has upheld a one-year prison sentence and a two-year travel ban against internationally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, rejecting his appeal on charges of propaganda against the state. The decision, announced by his lawyer Mostafa Nili on Sunday, June 7, 2026, leaves the director with 20 days to lodge a further appeal with the Tehran Provincial Court of Appeal.

The original verdict was issued in December 2025 while Panahi was abroad promoting his film, It Was Just an Accident. The court, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, fully upheld that ruling. According to the indictment detailed by Nili, the charges stem from a series of actions, including producing what was described as an "underground and problematic film against the establishment," supporting individuals viewed as political prisoners, backing popular protests and the "Woman, Life, Freedom" slogan, and portraying the country's situation negatively.

Panahi, a winner of the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or and an Oscar nominee, returned to Iran on March 30, 2026, following the Academy Awards ceremony. His return occurred despite the outstanding legal...