Artisans Fight for their Art

As the world swirls around the African nation of Sudan and the right for its female citizens to wear pants, members of the artistic community in the Islamic Republic of Iran are fighting for their very livelihood and in some cases their very freedom.

Since the June 12 elections that some believe wrongfully gave President Mahmoud AhmadinejadMahmoud Ahmadinejad continued leadership of the country and subsequent unrest in Iran, the government has been cracking down on poets, musicians, filmmakers, and actors denying them the right to work in their own country; as well as, abroad. In some cases the artists have been detained.

When Iran became an Islamic Republic in 1979 there was a general crackdown on some aspects of the artistic community like rock and roll, which was banned; but the crackdown has become even worse since June like film directors must provide a list of actors for approval and the colour green is not allowed on TV and movie sets because that is the colour of the opposition. The government has even gone so far as to try and cut out scenes from films and TV shows with actors wearing the colour green.