Iranian director Jafar Panahi released on bail from Tehran prison

Los Angeles, Feb 4 : Dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi has been released from Tehrans Evin prison, his wife Tahereh Saeidi announced in an Instagram post.

However, Panahi is out on bail and his case will be reviewed in March, so the release could just be temporary, according to several sources.

The director was released two days after announcing that he was going on a hunger strike to protest still being incarcerated after Irans Supreme Court had in last October overturned a six-year sentence issued against him in 2010 for propaganda against the system, Variety reported.That sentence had become obsolete due to the countrys 10-year statute of limitations.

But the directors wife and lawyers said that Iranian security services were forcing the judiciary to keep Panahi behind bars.Although I am happy about Panahis release, it must be said that it should have taken place three months ago, the directors lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, said in a statement, which has been accessed by Variety.

He noted that Panahi should have been released on bail on October 18 last year, the day his sentence was overturned.As per Variety, Panahi, 62, is considered one of Iranian cinemas greatest living masters.

He is known globally for prize-winning works such as The Circle, Offside, This is Not a Film, Taxi, and most recently, No Bears, winner of last years Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival.The Berlin Film Festival, which awarded Taxi a Golden Bear prize in 2015, immediately issued a statement to express joy that Panahi has been freed.

We were very concerned for the health of Jafar Panahi and are now very glad that he has finally been released, directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian said.The director was arrested last July from Tehran in the wake of the countrys conservative government crackdown #Iranian #Jafar #Panahi #Tehran #prison #Telugu #TeluguStop #Leh #Bally #Los Angeles #Instagram #Photo.