Elnaz Rekabi, an Iranian climber who is a member of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has reportedly been arrested. According to reports by the Iranian citizen journalism website IranWire, she was summoned to the Iranian embassy in South Korea. She said she had slipped her hijab off by accident but many doubt this. The arrest comes as protests continue in Iran against the country’s mandatory hijab law. Iranian women are required to cover their hair with a hijab while competing overseas. Female athletes, who represent Iran at the Olympics, must follow the dress code in order to compete in competitions abroad.
Rekabi’s family was not given any comment, but the Iranian embassy declined to comment on the matter. An Iranian journalist based in South Korea wrote on Instagram about the event and claimed Rekabi had been arrested by the Revolutionary Guard Corps. The embassy did not reply to a request for comment, but the embassy confirmed that Iran’s delegation had left Korea after the sport event. The International Federation of Sport Climbing said it is “fully aware” of the news.
Elnaz Rekabi: Iranian athlete breaks Islamic law by competing in an international climbing competition without wearing a hijab. Her friends were frightened when the video went public. They raised concerns about Rekabi’s health and safety, but she has yet to receive any official response.
Rekabi’s refusal to wear a hijab came in the midst of weeks of protests in Iran. The death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old female protester, had reignited the women’s rights movement. While officials claim she had a heart attack after being detained by morality police for not wearing a hijab, her family and friends believe that she had been beaten to death.
The Iranian regime has vowed to prosecute those who violate the hijab law. Elnaz Rekabi’s absence at the Asian Championships has created an uproar in the country. Her fellow Iranian climbers are calling for a boycott of the Olympic games and her country’s judicial system.
Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi has sparked a national debate about women’s rights. The government has forced female Iranian athletes to apologize and some of them have chosen not to return to their home country. Rekabi, however, posted on Instagram saying she would be returning home with her team on a prearranged schedule.
