Iranian actresses Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi arrested after defiance of government

High-profile Iranian actresses Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi have been arrested after publicly sharing their solidarity with dissidents in the anti-Iranian government,

As reported by the BBC, via Iran’s state news agency Irna, the women have been accused of colluding and acting against Iranian authorities.

On Sunday, Ghaziani shared an Instagram video of herself on a public street in the country’s capital, Tehran without her headscarf. The act is considered illegal in this very conservative Islamic country.

It comes as Iran has exploded with protests challenging the country’s morality police following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after being arrested by police for not wearing a headgear. The government’s response also saw protesters killed.

“This may be my last message. From now on, if anything happens to me, know that I will always be with the Iranian people until my last breath,” the 52-year-old wrote on his Instagram post.

Famous actress Riahi was also arrested on Sunday by order of the Iranian prosecutor’s office.

BBC journalist Ali Damedani said she was “one of the first actresses to appear in public without a compulsory hijab following the murder of Mafsa Amini”.

Defiant demonstrations by furious citizens have haunted the government since September, after Ms Amini’s death.

The young Kurdish woman was reportedly killed three days after being taken into custody by the Iranian morality police.

The dissent even extended to the soccer World Cup. Before their game against England, the Iranian team staged a remarkable protest when every player remained silent as their national anthem played before the game.