It Was Just an Accident Co-Writer Mehdi Mahmoudian Arrested in Iran

""The mass and systematic killing of citizens who bravely took to the streets to bring an end to an illegitimate regime constitutes an organized state crime against humanity," it reads. "The use of live ammunition against civilians, the killing of tens of thousands, the arrest and persecution of tens of thousands more, the assault on the wounded, the obstruction of medical care, and the killing of injured protesters amount to nothing less than an assault on Iran's national security and a betrayal of the country.""

""I met Mehdi Mahmoudian in prison," Panahi said in a statement. "From the very first days, he stood out - not only because of his calm demeanor and kind conduct but also because of a rare sense of responsibility toward others. Whenever a new prisoner arrived, Mehdi would try to provide them with basic necessities and, more importantly, offer reassurance.""

Mehdi Mahmoudian, nominated for Best Original Screenplay for Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident, was arrested in Tehran on January 31 after signing a statement condemning actions by Ali Khamenei. Neon noted that two other signees, Vida Rabbani and Abdullah Momeni, were also arrested. The statement condemned the government's violent crackdown, calling mass killings, use of live ammunition, arrests, obstruction of medical care, and assaults on the wounded an organized state crime against humanity and an assault on national security. Panahi described Mahmoudian's calm demeanor, care for fellow prisoners, and knowledge gained from imprisonment and human-rights fieldwork.

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