Iranian Actress Afsaneh Baygan Handed Suspended Prison Term

Iranian actress Afsaneh Baygan received a two-year suspended prison sentence and a two-year travel ban after she appeared in public without the compulsory headscarf.

Mehdi Kohian, a member of the Committee to Follow up the Situation of Arrested Artists, said that Baygan is also required to attend weekly psychotherapy sessions.

On July 12, Baygan announced her decision to withdraw from the "dishonorable field of acting" after she received a court notice on charges related to her appearance in public settings with a hat, instead of the mandatory hijab.

Another actress, Hengameh Ghaziani, had previously retired from acting for the same reason.

Baygan said she sought to distance herself from what she described as an "angry society," and expressed hope to spend the remainder of her life in "peace." 

In an act of defiance against the ideology and laws of the Islamic Republic, a growing number of women, including many actresses, have appeared in public without hijab since nationwide protests erupted in September last year.

Many defiant women have been arrested, summoned by the authorities and prosecuted, with criminal courts issuing harsh sentences against the defendants. Hundreds of businesses have been shut down for allegedly failing to enforce the Islamic Republic’s strict dress codes on their customers. 

Actresses including Taraneh Alidoosti, Katayoun Riahi and Hengameh Ghaziani have been arrested for failing to cover their hair in public.

Leila Bolukat has been sentenced to one year in prison and banned from acting for two-year on similar charges.

Azadeh Samadi, an actress who appeared in public while wearing a hat, must attend bi-weekly psychotherapy sessions to treat her “antisocial personality disorder.”