Iranian documentary filmmaker Mojgan Ilanlou was arrested in Tehran on March 16, 2026 during an early morning raid by plainclothes security forces, BBC Persian reported. Officers reportedly entered her home without presenting a judicial warrant, and a physical confrontation occurred during the arrest.
Ilanlou was detained alongside her husband, film producer Mohammad Pirhadi, and their daughter, Leila Pirhadi. Authorities have not disclosed the reasons for their arrest or where the family is being held.
Ilanlou has previously been arrested by Iranian authorities. She was detained in August 2023 after responding to a summons from Tehran’s intelligence police and held in Evin Prison without charges announced at the time; she was released after several hours. She was also arrested in October 2022 and later sentenced to nine years and nine months in prison, 74 lashes, and a travel ban on charges including “propaganda against the system” and “colluding against national security.” She was released in February 2023 under a mass amnesty.
Known for documenting social issues, Ilanlou’s work focuses particularly on the lives of Iranian women. Her film One Thousand Women, about female wrestlers facing legal and cultural restrictions, has drawn international attention.
CPJ’s email to the Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York requesting comment did not receive a response.