Iranian actor Shailin Asadollahi detained in Turkey

Iranian actor Shailin Asadollahi was detained yesterday (November 23) in Istanbul. The actor, currently held at the Removal Center, is at risk of being deported to Iran.

Asadollahi announced his detention through a post on his Instagram account.

Theater and film actor Asadollahi also works as a Persian-Turkish translator. She has undertaken the translation duties for many filmmakers at events held at the Ankara Film Festival and İstanbul Sinematek.

In a short video she shared, Asadollahi stated that she was detained because someone she had previously argued with and filed a complaint against had also filed a complaint against her. The actor mentioned that she is currently continuing her education in Turkey as a student and expressed deep sadness about being detained.

Asadollahi also called for solidarity for her release.

Iranian director, screenwriter, actor, and writer Mania Akbari, speaking to bianet about the matter, stated that the actor came to Turkey to avoid being detained in Iran and is now facing the danger of deportation to Iran.

"We need your help very much, please help Shailin," Akbari said.

Her sister in Evin Prison 

The message regarding the detention of Asadollahi that the friends of the actor conveyed to Mania Akbari was as follows:

"We are asking for help from our friends. Today, Shailin Asadollahi, the sister of political prisoner Anisha Asadollahi currently in Evin Prison in Tehran, was detained by the Turkish police, and there are plans to deport her to Iran.

"Shailin Asadollahi's life is in danger because she comes from a political family, and her siblings Ali Asadollahi and Anisha Asadollahi are two political activists also in Evin Prison. Shailin Asadollahi's life could be in jeopardy if she is deported to Iran. We are seeking help from friends in Turkey to prevent the deportation of Shailin Asadollahi."

PEN International's open letter to Khamenei

PEN International had released a statement in July 2023 regarding Shailin Asadollahi's sister, Anisha Asadollahi, held in Evin Prison in Tehran.

In an open letter addressed to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, PEN called for the immediate and unconditional release of Anisha Asadollahi and Keyvan Mohtadi, who were detained on May 9, 2022, on charges of translating for two French citizens, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, and were arrested a few days later. (TY/PE)