Iranian Model Wore “Noose” Dress at Cannes to Protest “Wrongful” Executions

Iranian-born model Mahlagha Jaberi has said that she wore a dress with a noose-like design on the red carpet at the Cannes film festival last week because she wanted to call attention to "wrongful executions" carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

The 33-year-old Jaberi, who now lives in Los Angeles, said in an Instagram post on May 30 that the dress had the slogan “Stop Executions” on the back of its train but security guards made her cover that up when she arrived at the 76th edition of the annual festival in Cannes on May 26.

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"We wanted to make a fashion statement to observe the glamour of Cannes, but more importantly, to bring media attention to the wrongful executions of Iranian people," she wrote. 

Jabari’s dress was widely shared on social media, with some condemning her move as disgraceful and others backing it as an eye-catching form of protest.

"We tried to play a small role in fighting against the heinous crime of executing innocent people in Iran by sending out the message in Cannes Festival," Jaberi wrote in a separate post. "Every small step counts towards eliminating injustice."

The Islamic Republic executes more people annually than any nation other than China. According to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group, 278 people have been executed this year.

Human rights groups say Iranian authorities have escalated executions in recent weeks to try to instill fear in society following months of nationwide protests sparked by the September death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.

The Islamic Republic has already executed seven people in connection with the protests.

Last week, Amnesty International raised “grave” concern that at least seven others are at grave risk of execution after being unjustly convicted, while dozens of others face capital punishment.

The human rights organization said the authorities violated the individuals' fair trial rights and subjected many of them to torture and inhumane treatment, "including floggings, electric shocks, death threats and sexual violence."