Iranian judicial authorities have arrested two organisers of a marathon held on Kish Island after images emerged showing female participants running without hijabs. The arrests on Saturday come amid growing pressure from ultraconservatives who accuse the authorities of failing to enforce the mandatory headscarf law.
The marathon, held on Friday, attracted around 5,000 participants. Online images showed a number of women competing without headscarves, prompting a criminal case against the organisers. According to the judiciary's Mizan news website, one of those arrested is a Kish free zone official, while the other works for the private company that organised the race.
A local prosecutor stated that despite previous warnings to comply with the country's laws and religious principles, the event was held in a way that violated public decency. A criminal case has been filed against those responsible for organising the event.
Conservative outlets such as Tasnim and Fars condemned the marathon as indecent and disrespectful to Islamic laws. Since the 2022 protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, observance of hijab rules has become more sporadic. Earlier this week, a majority of lawmakers accused the judiciary of failing to uphold the hijab law, prompting the chief justice to call for stricter enforcement.
