Iran Probes Marathon Organisers After Women Ran Without Hijabs

Iranian authorities have launched a criminal case against the organisers of a marathon on Kish Island after images surfaced of women running without hijabs.

More than 5,000 people participated in Friday’s race, and photographs circulating online showed some female runners not adhering to the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women, enforced since the early 1980s.

“Despite previous warnings regarding compliance with the country’s laws and regulations… the event was held in a way that violated public decency,” a local prosecutor told the judiciary’s official news outlet, Mizan Online.

“A criminal case has been filed against the officials and agents organising this event.”

Conservative media outlets, including Tasnim and Fars, condemned the marathon as indecent and disrespectful to Islamic law, which has been strictly enforced since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Women in Iran are required to cover their hair and wear modest clothing in public.

Compliance with the hijab has become increasingly inconsistent since the 2022 protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in custody over an alleged dress-code violation.

Earlier this week, lawmakers criticised the judiciary for failing to enforce the hijab law, prompting Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei to call for stricter enforcement.

President Masoud Pezeshkian’s government has declined to ratify a parliamentary bill that would have imposed harsher penalties on women who violate the dress code.

In May 2023, Iran’s athletics federation head resigned after women ran without headscarves at a sporting event in Shiraz.

AFP

Titilope Adako

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.

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