Covid 19 coronavirus: Iran's 'Zombie Angelina Jolie' lookalike on a ventilator after catching virus in jail

Sahar Tabar, 22, has contracted coronavirus after being jailed in Iran for her social media posts. Photo / Instagram

An Angelina Jolie "zombie" lookalike who is in prison in Iran because of her social media posts has contracted Covid-19 and is on a ventilator.

Sahar Tabar, 22, was arrested last year on charges of blasphemy and encouraging youths to corruption, according to The Sun.

She gained a large Instagram following after sharing dozens of posts which had been edited to make her face look like Angelina Jolie.

Iran has so far released about 85,000 prisoners as part of an effort to stop the spread of the virus in prisons.

Her lawyers have argued she too should have been released. According to the US-based Centre for Human Rights in Iran, a request for bail has been denied.

She is now reported to be on a ventilator. Photo / Instagram

Tabar has now contracted Covid-19 and is believed to be on a ventilator.

"We find it unacceptable that this young woman has now caught the coronavirus in these circumstances while her detention order has been extended during all this time in jail," human rights lawyer Payam Derafshan said.

He says authorities have tried denying she has the virus.

"It makes no sense to deny this," he said. "The prison director should acknowledge the infection and admit she has been hospitalised."

The lawyer believes all prisoners detained for non-violent charges should be out of jail amid the pandemic.

Human rights lawyers say she should be among the prisoners released in Iran in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Photo / Instagram

Tabar was arrested in October by Iran's Guidance Patrol.

The Patrol is part of law enforcement in the country and is tasked with the arrest of people, mostly women, deemed not to be following strict conservative dress codes.

She has expressed regret over her Instagram posts in an interview on state television after her arrest.

"My mother was telling me to stop, but I didn't listen," she said.

"Sometimes the words of a stranger or a friend can be more important than those of a parent."