Elnaz Rekabi hit the headlines in October when the sports climber competed in Seoul, South Korea, without wearing a hijab. Amidst the ongoing protests against the oppressive hijab rules in Iran, her bravery to openly defy the regime was applauded by everyone. However, now the family villa of Rekabi has been demolished by the Iranian authorities.
Rekabi was hailed as a hero in Iran for competing without a hijab, even though she later claimed that her hijab had fallen off accidentally and she apologised for it. The apology from her was reportedly a forced one and she was pressurised by the Iran government.
The undated video footage of the demolition obtained by CNN from IranWire showed a demolished structure and medals on the ground. The man filming the video went on to describe what happened to the house. The video then showed Rekabi’s brother, Davood, crying. Davood is himself a decorated sports climber, having won multiple medals in the sport.
Semi-official Tasnim news agency has claimed that the demolition took place before Rekabi competed in South Korea without a hijab. They did confirm that the house has been demolished but said that this was due to the family not having a valid permit for its construction. The family was also fined around $4,700.
Anti-Hijab protests in Iran
The ongoing protests in Iran began after a 22-year-old woman named Mahsa Amini died on September 16 in Tehran. She was arrested and tortured by the ‘Morality Police’ for wearing the hijab inappropriately on September 13, 2022. Iranian media reported that Amini fell into a state of coma and was eventually declared brain dead.
Mahsa Amini succumbed to her injuries on September 16. Following her death, there have been large-scale women-led protests in Iran. Videos of women surfaced where they cut off their hair and burnt hijab as a mark of protest against the enforcement of compulsory hijab for women.
Many celebrities and sportspersons, including the country’s highest-ever goal scorer Ali Daei have been questioned or had their passports confiscated during the course of the protests for speaking in support of the protestors.
