Iranian chess player appears at Kazakhstan tournament without hijab for second day -Reuters witness

ALMATY (Reuters) – An Iranian chess player on Wednesday took part in an international tournament in Kazakhstan without a hijab for the second day running, according to a Reuters journalist present.

A Reuters witness at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, saw Sara Khadem competing without a headscarf, a violation of Iran’s laws governing female dress code.

Iran has been swept by demonstrations against the country’s clerical leadership since mid-September, when 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini died in the custody of morality police who detained her for “inappropriate attire.”

Laws enforcing mandatory hijab wearing have become a flashpoint during the protests, with a string of sportswomen competing overseas appearing without their headscarves in public.

Khadem, born in 1997 and also known as Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, is ranked 804 in the world, according to the International Chess Federation website. The website for the Dec. 25-30 event listed her as a participant in both the Rapid and Blitz competitions.

Iranian news outlets Khabarvarzeshi and Etemad in reports on Monday said that Khadem had competed at the championship in Almaty without a hijab.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Mark Porter)