Panahi jailing - French government and Tim Burton speak out

The campaign to free Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has gathered steam with the start of Cannes, where Panahi - whose been under detention in Tehran since March 1 - has been invited to sit on the jury.

As I pointed out in my recent article on the jailing for The Australian, there's nothing quite like the symbolism of an empty chair - so I was elated to find the above photo released on the net this morning.

In the last 24 hours major support for the campaign to free Panahi has arrived from the French government, Cannes jury president Tim Burton, and Amnesty International.

Meanwhile thanks to readers who have kindly offered their help in an Australian leg of the campaign. I'm working with Anne Demy-Geroe, who has just stepped down as executive director of the Brisbane International Film Festival, to mount solidarity screenings in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. We're waiting on confirmation on venues - I'll report back when things firm up.

Below is an extract from an AFP news story that went up on the net today:

CANNES — US film-maker Tim Burton, who this year heads the Cannes festival jury, on Wednesday joined calls for the release of jailed Iranian director Jafar Panahi."All of us are for freedom of expression," Burton told a news conference at the film festival. "We fight for that every day and in our lives. So of course one should be free to express oneself.

"Earlier, France called on Iran to release the film-maker and allow him to take his seat as a member of the Cannes jury."He is one of the most eminent representatives of Iranian film and his place is at the festival where he has been invited as a member of the jury," said Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand in a joint statement.

"We call for his immediate release and urge the Tehran authorities to respect the fundamental right of Iranians to freedom of expression and creativity," the French ministers added.a (story ends)

Eight things you can do now:

• Send emails, faxes and letters of protest to the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 16 Prince’s Gate, London SW7 1PT; info@iran-embassy.org.uk; 020 7589 4440. Don’t forget to send us a copy.
• Sign our statement ‘Freedeom for Jafar Panahi and all political prisoners’ Email office@hopoi.info
• Join the Facebook group to Free Jafar Panahi, which keeps you updated with the campaign
• Put on showings of Panahi’s films: The wounded head (1988), Kish (1991), The last exam (1992), The circle (2000), Crimson gold (2003) and above all Offside (2006). We have been given official permission to show his films, so we can help you to get hold get a copy of the film and DVDs to sell. We can also provide a speaker to introduce the film
• Order Hopi’s ‘Free Panahi’ postcards. Get people to sign the cards and return them to us asap – we will forward them to his family in Iran to show our solidarity. We ask for a donation of £5 or more for 30 cards to cover postage and printing costs
• Order the A4 bulletin we have produced to highlight Panahi’s case (as well as the ongoing threat of a military attack and increased sanctions). We ask for a donation of £5 or more for 30 bulletins to cover postage and printing costs
• Get your trade union branch/organisation to sponsor this important campaign.
• Financially support the campaign: please use the Paypal button below or send cheque/s to Hopi, PO Box 54631, London N16 8YE