Tehran, Feb. 3 -- Iranian award-winning director, Jafar Panahi, who has been imprisoned in Tehran for six months, announced that he has begun a hunger strike to protest the authorities' refusal to release him on bail pending a retrial.

The note from Jafar Panahi, starting of his hunger strike, was published on the Instagram page of his wife, Tahereh Saeedi.

In the note, prominent Iranian director emphasized, "I categorically declare in protest against the extra-legal and inhuman behavior of the judicial and security apparatus and their hostage-taking, I have started hunger strike from the morning of the February 1, 2023. I refused to eat and drink any food and medicine until I was released."

"I will remain in this situation until maybe...