Iran: What did cartoonist say upon release?

“Some people may think that art cannot express protest or it cannot be so important… But I believe, an artist’s responsibility is to challenge and be challenged.

When you are being challenged, the price may be very heavy. It may be prison or many other things… However, we must remember that every artist has a mission,” said Atena Farghdani, the young artist as walked out of jail. 

Ms. Faraghdani spent 18 months in prison for exercising freedom of expression and painting cartoons critical of the government.

Mr. Gérard Deprez, Head of the Friends of a Free Iran at the European Parliament, wrote to EU High representative on Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, before her trip to Iran on April 12, 2016, and asked for Ms. Faraghdani's release.