Award-winning film-maker Mohammad Rasoulof arrested in Iran - The Guardian
July 11, 2022, 1:22 pm

Award-winning film-maker Mohammad Rasoulof arrested in Iran - The Guardian

Award winning film maker Mohammad Rasoulof arrested after urging security forces to lay down arms & not suppress protests over collapse of big building in #Abadan that became rallying cry for anger at regime-fellow director Mostafa Alahmad also detained - Twitter

Iran’s state-run news agency reported on Friday (July 8) that the country’s authorities have arrested two film-makers over an appeal they posted on social media, accusing them of links with opposition groups based outside the country and plotting to undermine the nation’s state security.

According to IRNA, award-wining director Mohammad Rasoulof and colleague Mostafa Al-Ahmad were taken into custody for posting a statement on social media urging members of the Iranian security forces to lay down their weapons.

The hashtag #put_your_gun_down is a reference to the violent crackdown during the unrest after a building collapsed in the south-western city of Abadan that killed at least 41 people earlier this year, The Guardian reported.

The report did not say when the two were arrested. At least 70 Iranian film-makers and film industry workers had signed the appeal.

The 23 May collapse at the Metropol building in Abadan, some 660 kilometres (410 miles) south-west of the capital, Tehran, dredged up memories of past national disasters and shone a spotlight on shoddy construction practices, government corruption and negligence in Iran.

The hashtag #put_your_gun_down is a reference to the violent crackdown during the unrest after a building collapsed in the south-western city of Abadan that killed at least 41 people earlier this year.

Protests erupted in Abadan over the collapse and the demonstrations have seen police club protesters and fire tear gas.

Rasoulof, who has been detained in the past and has had his passport confiscated, won the Berlin film festival’s top prize in 2020 for his film There Is No Evil. It tells four stories loosely connected to the themes of the death penalty in Iran and personal freedoms under tyranny.

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Shortly after receiving the award he was sentenced to a year in prison for three films he made that authorities found to be “propaganda against the system”. His lawyer appealed the sentence. He was also banned from making films and travelling abroad.

In 2011, Rasoulof and fellow director Jafar Panahi were arrested for filming without a permit. The pair received six years in prison and were banned from film-making for 20 years on charges that included “making propaganda” against the ruling system, but Rasoulof’s sentence was later reduced on appeal to a year.

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The same year Rasoulof’s film Goodbye won a prize at Cannes but he was not allowed to travel to France to accept it.

On Saturday (July 9) organisers of the Berlin film festival protested against the directors’ arrests and called for their release.

The festival directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian in a statement said: “It’s shocking that artists are taken into custody because of their peaceful endeavours against violence."

Source: theguardian

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.