A group of Iranian artists and authors wrote an open letter to Romeo Castellucci and Eugenio Barba criticizing them for attending the “Fajr” theater festival. Fajr film and theater festivals are held by the Islamic Republic regime annually.

The letter asks: “If the news (of your attendance) is true, do you know that you are stepping on the blood of Iranian youth to get on the festival’s stage? The defenseless youth who took to the streets just for their basic rights.”

The artists mention that in the recent protests in Iran, “hundreds were killed by the security forces just in the span of a week, and thousands were arrested. Many families are still unaware of the fate of their loved ones.”

The artists and authors went on to say that “the massacre of people by the Islamist regime still continues” and emphasized: “In this horrifying situation, holding a film and theater festival and inviting Western artists only serves as a veil to cover all these massacres. The Fajr Theater and Film Festival has no connection to the Iranian people, and it is one of those festivities that are held to fool the westerners. And your attendance means your cooperation with the Islamic Republic regime in making this illusion a reality. The money that you are paid is stolen from the hungry children of that land.”