I’ve often written about my favorite Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami here on TakePart, so when I learned that the star of one of his films was arrested and beaten, I couldn’t help but feel disgusted.

17-year-old Amin Maher, an actor in the film Ten (also the son of painter and filmmaker Mania Akbari) was arrested and most likely beaten as part of the police sweeps that are currently happening in Iran.  Below are some email excerpts from Mania Akbari that appeared on Anthony Kaufman’s blog on indieWIRE:

“I had no idea where they had taken my son to, therefore I stared looking in every ambulance, every police station and every hospital in town. I came face to face with other parents looking for their children as well. Mothers screaming and calling the names of their sons and daughters. Fathers weeping silently. Terrified kids in police stations awaiting their faith…it was a total nightmare.”
“It was early Wednesday morning when I finally found my son at the Pasdaran’s police station. The reasons for his arrest were that he was wearing a green band to show his support for Mr. Moussavi and also that he had been identified as an active participant during the presidential campaign. Finally on Wednesday he was released with the intervention of some friends, artists and some related police authorities.”

“Amin had been subjected to serious beatings and emotional disturbance. I felt ashamed of seeing him in his condition. I had created a false illusion for him regarding the country he had been born in, about prevailing humanism and democratic atmosphere. I had always encouraged him to consider going to top universities in Iran, instead of opting for studying abroad.”

Visit indieWIRE for more.

You can also go HERE to watch a clip from Ten that features Amin.