Nov-Dec — Filmmaker Jafar Panahi Defends Himself in Court

On November 12, 2010, Jafar Panahi found himself in court defending his work as a filmmaker. From a summary of his statement published in English on Rooz Online:

“The assassination of ideas and sterilizing artists of a society has only one result: killing the roots of art and creativity. Arresting my colleagues and I while shooting an unfinished film is nothing but an attack by those in power on all the artists of this land. It drives this crystal clear however sad message home: ‘You will repent if you don’t think like us.’”

In December Panahi was sentenced to a six year prison-term and a 20-year ban on film-making.