The Islamic Republic continues to strive to “strike terror in the enemies of Allah” (Qur’an 8:60), but this time a significant element of the population is stubbornly resisting being terrorized.
“Elnaz Rekabi, who competed without hijab, hauled back to Islamic Republic for arrest: report,” by Danielle Wallace, Fox News, October 18, 2022:
A female Iranian climber who competed in a South Korean championship without a hijab has reportedly gone missing and is expected to be placed under arrest upon her return to the Islamic Republic.
Elnaz Rekabi, who went viral for competing without the Islamic headscarf at the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s Asian Championships in Seoul on Sunday, has not been heard from.
Her friends told the BBC’s Persian service, which has extensive contacts within Iran despite being banned from operating there, that they had been unable to contact Rekabi. The outlet quoted an unnamed “informed source” who said Iranian officials seized both Rekabi’s phone and passport.
BBC Persian also reported that Rekabi was to be arrested upon her return to the Islamic Republic.
A later Instagram post on an account attributed to Rekabi said not wearing a hijab was “unintentional,” though it wasn’t immediately clear whether she wrote the post or what condition she was in at the time….
IranWire reported that once Rekabi arrived at Imam Khomeini international airport, she was to be immediately transferred to Tehran’s Evin Prison. The prison was the site of a massive fire that killed at least eight prisoners….
