According to the Iranian news outlet Emtedad, he has been able to contact his family. However, the exact allegations against him remain unclear.
One possible reason cited is an open letter Mahmoudian signed alongside other public figures, criticising the violent crackdown carried out in Iran in January.
The Iranian–Luxembourg–French co-production It Was Just an Accident focuses on political prisoners and offers a critical portrayal of Iran’s political regime. The film was directed by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who has previously been imprisoned several times because of his political views, and for years was banned from making films or leaving the country.
It Was Just an Accident has been nominated at the Oscars in the categories International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay. It won the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.
