Iranian sex tape scandal
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The so-called Iranian sex tape scandal involves the public outcry and judicial proceedings against an associate film producer and a soap opera starlet accused of appearing together in an explicit sex tape, allegedly filmed for private consumption with a camcorder, a serious crime under Sharia law. The actress denies that the tape is of her, while the film producer reportedly has claimed that it is him.[1][2]
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The tape
The tape graphically depicts twenty minutes of sex between a woman and a man in a small room with a narrow bed.[1] Some have speculated that the woman is Iranian soap opera actress Zahra Amir Ebrahimi. The man reportedly admitting to his role in the tape is an assistant film producer to whom Ebrahimi was engaged at the time. Neither of the suspects have officially been named by authorities in Tehran.[3] He has been referred to in the Iranian media as "Mr. X".[4] Ebrahimi has accused him of releasing a pornographic film featuring himself and a lookalike to damage her career.
The tape was reportedly made in 2004, although it only came to prominence in early-2006. It has seen wide distribution on DVD and over the internet in Iran. [5] An estimated 100,000 copies are in circulation.[4] The assistant film producer reportedly appearing in the tape has said that he accidentally forgot to delete the footage from his hard drive when he sold his laptop.[2][1]
Ebrahimi is best known for playing the machinating character "Zohre" on the Iranian soap Narges.[1]
Response
The tape and the publicity surrounding it caused a massive scandal in Iran, such that Iran's fundamentalist clerics have labeled it a "national shame".[1] Tehran's hardline chief prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi has even intervened, ordering a special investigation.[3] (Some sources report it is Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi, or possibly both.[1]) As of December 2006, Ebrahimi has not been charged with any crime, but the investigations are continuing.[4]
For a time Ebrahimi was rumored to have attempted suicide because of all the negative media attention after her police interrogation. To quell the rumor, she made a statement to the ILNA news agency: "I just want to tell my country’s people that I am alive. I should think of Iranian women’s strength and defend the respect of the girls and women of my nation."[6]
Ebrahimi denies that she was the woman in the tape. In an interview with the Guardian UK, she said, "I watched the film after I heard about the fuss from colleagues and the girl in it is not me. I admit there are some similarities to the character I played in Narges. It is possible to use studio make-up to have a person look like me. I have some knowledge of montage techniques and I know you can create a new face by distorting the features of another person."[4]
The man who appears in the film fled the country. Iranian investigators requested Interpol locate, arrest and extradite him.[6] He was apprehended in Armenia and extradited shortly afterwards.[4]
Potential penalties
The investigation is still current and no formal charges have been filed as yet. Regarding Ebrahimi, an Iranian judiciary official was quoted as saying: "It depends on finding out whether she had a deliberate role in the case ... If so, it is going to be dealt with as a case of corruption and prostitution."[5]
The man in the tape, believed to have been the one to disseminate it to the public, albeit accidentally, could face charges of "distributing immoral material", which carry a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine equivalent to $12,000. However, he claims that he and Ebrahimi were temporarily married at the time. Under the precepts of Shi'a Islam, sex during temporary marriage is permitted.
Some legal experts believe Ebrahimi’s denial alone might be enough to avoid a guilty verdict. Under Iranian law, film and video footage must be supported by additional evidence or a confession.[4] However, Ebrahimi has stated that even though she denies being the girl in the tape, she fears her career in the Iranian entertainment industry may be over.[1]
If the actress (or another woman) is so charged and convicted, the punishment could be severe. A woman found guilty of having sex outside marriage can face a penalty of up to 99 lashes.[4]
As of December 2006, eight people have been arrested as part of the official investigation.[1]
In similar situation from recent years, one Iranian actor was banned after he was filmed dancing at a wedding reception with the bride (to whom he was not related).[4]
While the western media in the 21st century has been fairly inundated with such news, this is widely acknowledged to be the first celebrity sex tape scandal in Iran.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Bednarz, D. (2006.) "Iranian Soap Star Swept up in Video Scandal". Der Spiegel. Retrieved December 26, 2006.
- ^ a b December 2006. "Tehran XXX". Vice Magazine. Retrieved December 26, 2006.
- ^ a b Creasy, R. (2006). "Outrage in Iran as actress does a 'Paris' and her sex video ends up on the net" The Daily Mail. Retrieved November 27, 2006.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Tait, R. (2006). "Iranian actor in sex video scandal says ex-fiance faked footage" The Guardian UK. Retrieved November 27, 2006.
- ^ a b Reuters. (2006.) "The actress, the Internet, the sex film and Iran". Reuters. Retrieved November 8, 2006.
- ^ a b Tait, R. (2006). "Iranian soap star faces lashing after sex tape made public". The Guardian UK. Retrieved November 8, 2006.
