Release Sepideh Abtahi!

The ICFR condemns the arrest and treatment of Sepideh Abtahi, in urgent need of medical attention

URGENT

The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Iranian documentary filmmaker, editor, and screenwriter Sepideh Abtahi, our colleague, who was arrested at her home in Tehran on the morning of 15 July 2026 and is currently held in Evin prison. No charges have been communicated. She has no access to her lawyer and no contact with her family beyond three very short phone calls. Her pre-existing medical condition makes her continued detention a matter of serious concern, and compels the ICFR to classify this case as Urgent.

At approximately 8:00 AM on 15 July 2026, a group of security officers in plain clothes raided Sepideh Abtahi's home in Tehran, where she lives with her elderly parents and her sister. After searching her room, the officers seized her mobile phones and took her away in unmarked cars. For nearly twelve hours, her family had no information about her whereabouts. Late that night, it became known that Sepideh is held in Evin prison. No authority has claimed responsibility for her arrest, and no reason for it has been given. Her family was told only that they could inquire at the Evin Security Prosecutor's Office. Under Iranian law, detainees in security cases are denied access to their chosen lawyer during interrogation, and her lawyer has not been able to reach her.

Sepideh Abtahi, born in 1974, is a member of Khaneh Cinema (The House of Cinema, the Alliance of Motion Picture Guilds in Iran) and the former secretary of the Iranian Documentary Filmmakers Association (IRDFA). Her documentary films, including Profession: Documentarist and 5 Chapters of Iranian Food, focus on civil life and the experience of women in Iran. She has also worked as a screenwriter, editor, and assistant editor on projects including The Invincible Diplomacy of Mr. Naderi, Formerly Youth Square, and Unfinished Narratives. In 2022, she was part of a group that founded the legal committee of Khaneh Cinema, to advocate for the alliance's members.

Of immediate concern, Sepideh suffers from asthma and is subject to allergic attacks that require medication. Any interruption of her access to treatment, or exposure to the conditions of detention, places her health at direct risk. The ICFR holds the Iranian authorities fully responsible for her safety and wellbeing for as long as she remains in their custody.

The ICFR demands the immediate release of Sepideh Abtahi. Especially in times of war, civilian voices, and filmmakers among them, must be protected and cared for, not detained and persecuted. The ICFR will continue to follow this case closely, keeping the global film community informed of any developments.

The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk