Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick has criticised the arrest of Iranian director Jafar Panahi

Berlin International Film Festival director Dieter Kosslick, has said he is “concerned and dismayed that a director who has won many international prizes has been arrested due to his his  work as an artist”

The Iranian director was not able to attend the festival last month, where he was due to take part in a panel discussion on the topic of Iranian ciname, because he was denied permission to leave his home country, according to festival organsiers.

Panahi, who was detained by Iranian security forces on monday evening, won the fesival’s Silver Bear award in 2006 for his film Offside.

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