Farhadi said on January 29 that he would not attend the Oscars ceremony next month even if he was granted an exception to US President visa ban for citizens from Iran and six other predominantly Muslim countries, IRNA reported.
The Academy also released the statement after US President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on visa ban for seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran.
“As supporters of filmmakers and the human rights of all people around the globe, we find it extremely troubling that Asghar Farhadi, the director of the Oscar-winning film from Iran, ‘A Separation,’ along with the cast and crew of this year's Oscar-nominated film ‘The Salesman,’ could be barred from entering the country because of their religion or country of origin,” the statement reads.
The 89th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), will honor the best films of 2016 and will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 26, 2017.
US President Donald Trump has recently signed an order based on which US borders will be closed for 4 months to refugees. Visa issuance has also been banned for 7 Muslim countries, including Iran, for 3 months.
The US decision has widely been criticized by human rights bodies, indicating that Trump has targeted Muslims for their beliefs.
EghtesadOnline: In continuation to protest US President Donald Trump’s visa ban order, world-known Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, and the director of the Oscar nominated film ‘The Salesman’ will introduce a representative to the Oscar Academy Awards.