The relatives of the attacked climber? The family home of Iranian rock climbing champion Elnaz Rekabi, arrested by Iranian moral police for not wearing a headscarf during a sports competition, has been demolished, several foreign media report.
A video showing a destroyed house with sports medals in the rubble circulated this week on social media. We also see Davood Rekabi, Elznaz’s brother, also an athlete, crying as he looks at the ruins. The origin and date of these images have not been confirmed.
An act of revenge for opponents of the regime.
The semi-official Iranian agency Tasmi confirmed the destruction of the house, without giving the reasons for this demolition. Activists who oppose the Iranian government believe it is an act of revenge against the champion who defied Tehran. However, according to the Iranian agency, the demolition could be explained by the lack of building permits.
The athlete had defied the dress code imposed by the Islamic Republic by participating in an international climbing competition in Seoul, South Korea, wearing a simple headscarf.
Her gesture was interpreted as a gesture of solidarity with the demonstrations in Iran, while the Islamic Republic requires Iranian athletes to wear the headscarf even in competitions abroad.
She also made her return to Tehran no longer with a hijab -as Iran imposes on all women- but with a cap and hood, cheered by the crowd.
The athlete arrested?
According to online media. IranWirethe climber would have been caught by the head of the Iran Climbing Federation, also a former member of the Ministry of Information, and imprisoned in the greatest secrecy, potentially in Evin prison, known for hosting many prisoner policies in Tehran.
The athlete posted two messages on his Instagram account twice as an apology, alleging that his scarf slipped off by mistake during the competition.
These statements have aroused the concern of various human rights organizations based abroad, who have wondered about the possible pressures to which she might have been subjected.
Iran is experiencing a rare protest movement in the country, following the death of 22-year-old Mahfsa Amini, days after she was arrested by the vice squad for not wearing the headscarf properly. The authorities announced this Sunday the suppression of this police force.
Source: BFM TV
