Iranian director Jafar Panahi sentenced to five years in prison. Authorities also confiscated his property

Dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi has been sentenced to five years in prison and the confiscation of his property in a new trial held in Iran, according to a local news outlet.

The sentence represents a new judicial measure against the filmmaker, who has been imprisoned several times in the past because of his work and critical positions toward the Iranian authorities. Details regarding the charges brought in this case and when the ruling may be enforced were not specified in the information published so far.

Jafar Panahi is one of Iran’s best-known directors and has repeatedly faced restrictions, arrests and convictions. Despite the pressure, his films have continued to be screened and awarded prizes at international festivals.

The new conviction adds five years of detention and the confiscation of his assets to the history of conflicts between the director and the authorities in Tehran. Information about the sentence is still being verified, and any appeals and the defense’s response have not been announced.