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January 3, 2023

Iranian Woman Chess Player Defects to Spain After Defying Dress Code
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Iran's top woman chess player has fled to Spain after receiving threats
not to return to Iran for competing at an international tournament in
Kazakhstan without a hijab. Iranian law requires women to wear a
headscarf in public, even when visiting other countries. Sarasadat
Khademalsharieh's decision was seen as a gesture in solidarity with
anti-government protests that erupted in Iran in September in response
to the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iranian so-called morality
police. In related news, several Iranian soccer players were arrested
after attending a New Year's Eve party with women and where alcohol was
served. The players were current and former members of one of Tehran's
prominent soccer clubs. A local media outlet said many of the detained
soccer players had also expressed support for the mass protests.


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