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Organizers detained after women compete without hijabs
Iranian authorities have arrested two organizers of a marathon on Kish Island after photographs circulated online showing female participants running without headscarves, the judiciary announced Sunday.
Event draws mixed reactions
Approximately 2,000 women and 3,000 men participated in the separate-gender race on Friday. Images of female runners in red shirts without hijabs sparked celebrations among reform advocates, who viewed the act as a defiant rejection of state-imposed dress codes.
Iran's leadership, however, condemned the event as a direct challenge to Islamic norms. The judiciary acted swiftly, targeting organizers for what it described as a breach of public decency.
Broader crackdown on dress code violations
The controversy extends beyond the marathon. The judiciary's chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, recently declared a renewed campaign against women appearing in public without hijabs, instructing intelligence agencies to monitor and report "organized trends promoting immorality."
Enforcement of the hijab law has fluctuated in recent years, with periods of leniency followed by strict crackdowns. The current push follows nationwide protests in 2022, triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini-a young woman detained for allegedly violating dress codes.
Segregation and shifting norms
While the marathon maintained gender segregation, officials criticized the event itself as a violation of public standards. The prosecutor in Kish labeled the race's format a "violation of public decency," reflecting broader tensions over women's participation in public sports.
Just years earlier, such a large-scale gathering of women in athletic attire would have been deemed unacceptable by Iran's theocratic leadership.
Standoff continues
The arrests underscore an ongoing conflict between Iran's conservative establishment and younger generations, particularly women, over personal freedoms. Despite government repression, defiance of dress codes persists, signaling no resolution in sight.
