Iranian police arrested several young girls who removed their hijab during a skateboarding event in Shiraz, in the center-south of the country, as well as organizers, state media reported on Friday (June 24th).
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According to Islamic law in force in Iran since the 1979 revolution, women must wear a hijab that covers the head and neck while concealing the hair. A number of young girlsremoved their hijab at the end of the sporting event without respecting religious rules and legal normsShiraz police chief Faraj Shojaee was quoted by the official Irna news agency as saying. “It is forbidden to organize any mixed sporting or non-sporting gathering without respecting religious and legal norms (…) and the organizers will be punished according to the law“, he underlined.
“intention to break the rules»
The arrests were made Thursday from a viral video of the rally, “Go Skateboarding Daywhich took place in the capital of Fars province on Tuesday. “In coordination with the judiciary, a number of people linked to this rally were identified and arrested on Thursday“, he added. “There is no doubt that these events were premeditated with the intention of breaking social, religious and national rules and norms.“Said the governor of Shiraz, Lotfollah Sheybani, quoted by Irna.
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Despite Islamic law, many women have pushed the envelope over the past two decades and let their headscarves slide off, showing part of their hair, especially in Tehran and other major cities. Iranian media had reported on Sunday the arrest by police of 120 people for drinking alcohol, mixed dancing and not wearing a hijab during a party in a forest in northern Iran. According to Iranian law, only non-Muslim citizens are allowed to consume alcohol for religious purposes, while dancing with the opposite sex is prohibited.
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