One of three jailed Iranian filmmakers released on bail 

The 52-year-old was arrested along with filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Jafar Panahi in June. (Radio Farda)
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Updated 12 August 2022
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One of three jailed Iranian filmmakers released on bail 

  • The 52-year-old was arrested along with filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Jafar Panahi in June
  • The filmmakers’ arrest sparked international criticism from European film and arts festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival

Mostafa Al-Ahmad, one of the three prominent Iranian filmmakers arrested during Iran’s latest crackdown on dissent, has been released on bail, according to Radio Farda. 

The 52-year-old was arrested along with filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Jafar Panahi in June, days after signing an open letter calling on security forces in the country to “lay down their arms” during widespread demonstrations over “corruption, theft, inefficiency, and repression,” Radio Farda reported. 

Al-Ahmad and Panahi had reportedly contracted COVID-19 in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison and were denied hospital care outside the detention facility, the report said. 

Outrage erupted across the country after more than 40 people were killed in May when a 10-storey building collapsed in the southwestern city of Abadan. At the time, public outcry called for corrupted authorities to be held accountable. 

The filmmakers’ arrest sparked international criticism from European film and arts festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival. 

“The Festival de Cannes strongly condemns these arrests as well as the wave of repression obviously in progress in Iran against its artists,” festival organizers said. “The festival calls for the immediate release of Mohammad Rasoulof, Mostafa [Al-Ahmad] and Jafar Panahi.”

“The Festival de Cannes also wishes to reassert its support to all those who, throughout the world, are subjected to violence and repression. The festival remains and will always remain a haven for artists from all over the world and it will relentlessly be at their service in order to convey their voices loud and clear, in the defense of freedom of creation and freedom of speech.”


Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

Updated 24 December 2025
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Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

  • Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month

RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.

The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience. 

Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.

“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”

With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.

The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.

Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”

The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”

Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”

He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”