- Award-winning Iranian director Jafar Panahi has been sentenced in absentia to one year in prison and a two-year travel ban for "propaganda activities" against Iran.
- Panahi's lawyer, Mostafa Nili, confirmed the sentence, which also prohibits him from joining political or social groups, and stated they would appeal the ruling.
- Despite currently being outside Iran, Panahi intends to return to his home country, citing loyalty and family ties.
- The sentencing follows Panahi's recent acceptance of Gotham awards for best screenplay and best director for his film It Was Just an Accident, which also won the Cannes Palme d'Or.
- Panahi has a history of arrests and bans by the Iranian government, including a previous six-year sentence in 2010 for similar charges, from which he was released in 2023 after a hunger strike.
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