Iranian authorities arrest two organizers of Kish Island marathon after allowing women to run 'uncovered'

Two marathon organizers have been arrested in Iran for allowing women not wearing the hijab to participate in the race. The arrests came after photos from Friday's (December 5) marathon appeared online showing women unfazed by the rules competing in the race.

The competition, which took place on the island of Kish, off the southern coast of Iran, was attended by about 2,000 women and 3,000 men, divided by gender. Some of the women, dressed in red blouses, did not cover their heads with a hijab or any other head covering.

The photos sparked mixed reactions: supporters of change in Iran hailed them as examples of Iranian women defying restrictions imposed by the authorities, while Iranian officials reacted immediately, ordering judicial authorities to act against the organizers.

The prosecutor in Kish said the way the competition was held was a “violation of public morality.” The issue of the hijab remains a central topic in the debate over Iran’s future.

Government measures against women appearing without headscarves vary, sometimes allowing relaxation of the rules, and sometimes enforcing a crackdown on any violations.
Three years ago, the sight of such a large number of Iranian women in sportswear attending a mass public event, even separately from men, would have been considered a violation of the rules.

The new measures follow mass protests over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died after being arrested for allegedly violating the dress code.

Since then, some women have continued to defy the rules, prompting a backlash from authorities and warnings from the judiciary about a new campaign against women who do not wear the hijab in public.

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