Following her arrest, Sahar’s Instagram account, which had amassed over 400,000 followers, was shut down. Reports initially claimed that she had been sentenced to ten years in prison, a punishment that ignited widespread international outrage. Human rights organizations, activists, and public figures condemned the sentence, arguing that creative expression on social media should not be criminalized and that Sahar’s arrest represented a severe violation of freedom of expression.
After spending roughly 14 months in prison, Sahar was released, reportedly due to mounting international pressure and public criticism. Her release was widely viewed as a rare concession by Iranian authorities in response to global advocacy efforts.
In interviews following her release, Sahar expressed regret for some of her actions but insisted that her viral online persona had been widely misunderstood. She explained that she never intended to literally resemble a zombie or to directly emulate Angelina Jolie. Instead, she described her Instagram content as a form of performance art—a surreal, exaggerated visual storytelling experiment designed to entertain and capture attention. She acknowledged that she had not anticipated the severe legal consequences her posts would provoke.
Sahar Tabar’s story has since become a potent example of both the rapid rise of social media fame and the unpredictable, sometimes perilous consequences that can accompany it. Her experience has ignited broader conversations about the boundaries of online expression, particularly in countries with strict cultural and political oversight of digital activity.
Today, Sahar remains a symbol of the complex intersection between internet fame, artistic expression, and governmental censorship. Her journey underscores the reality that behind every viral persona lies a human being, navigating tangible consequences in a world where the line between creativity and controversy can be perilously thin. Her experience serves as a stark reminder of both the power and the risks inherent in the digital age.
