Iranian Athlete Defies Government Diktat On Hijab At Asian Climbing Competition Finals In Historic Move

Defying Iran's diktat, athlete Elnaz Rekabi, who represented the Islamic Republic at the Asian Climbing Competitions finals, competed without donning a hijab.

What Happened: In a historic move, Iranian climber Rekabi was seen competing in the finals at Seoul in open defiance of the middle-eastern nation's rules that require women athletes to cover their heads in public, reported Iran International.  

This came after the death of a 22-year-old girl in morality police custody on Sept. 16 sparked a series of anti-government protests nationwide, leading to civil unrest. Several demonstrators from all walks of life took to the streets after the Kurdish woman's death following her arrest for "inappropriate attire."

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This rapidly evolved into one of the boldest challenges to Iran's rulers since the 1979 revolution, who demanded the downfall of Khamenei and the Islamic Republic.

Meanwhile, the Iranian government has launched a major crackdown on the protests with heavy deployment of riot police and has arrested many.

A fire broke out late Saturday at Iran's Evin prison, killing four detainees and injuring 61, reported Reuters. The government authorities said the prisoners had put the workshop on fire "after a fight among a number of prisoners convicted of financial crimes and theft." The report noted that the prison also had many detainees facing security charges, including Iranians with dual nationality.

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