Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi reportedly under house arrest
The Iranian climber who received a hero’s welcome on her return to Tehran after competing in South Korea without wearing a headscarf has reportedly been placed under house arrest.
Elnaz Rekabi competed last weekend in South Korea without wearing a headscarf, which is mandatory in Iran and a subject of nationwide protests after the death of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the country’s notorious morality police.
Citing an “informed source”, BBC Persian said Rekabi had been put under pressure to make a “forced confession” after her return on Wednesday from the Asian Championships in sports climbing in Seoul.
Large crowds of supporters turned out to greet the 33-year-old on her return to Tehran , but the source told BBC Persian that she did not go home after arriving at the airport.
“She was held at the national Olympics academy under the watch of plainclothes officers until she met the minister,”they said, referring to the sports minister, Hamid Sajjadi.
Rekabi had been threatened with the seizure of 100m rials (£276,000) worth of her family’s property unless she made the “forced confession”, the source was quoted as saying.
On Friday, a New York-based human rights group called on the International Federation of Sport Climbing to do more to protect her.
The IFSC “should engage with rights organisations to protect pro climber Elnaz Rekabi and all Iranian athletes”, the Center for Human Rights in Iran said on Twitter.
“Don’t take the government in Iran’s word at face value – it has a documented history of detaining, maiming and killing those who oppose it.”
Fears had been raised about the fate of Rekabi after friends had reportedly been unable to contact her following the end of her involvement in the competition in Seoul.
News website Iran Wire said the head of Iran’s climbing federation had tricked her into entering the Iranian embassy in Seoul, promising her safe passage to Iran if she handed over her phone and passport.
Upon her return to Tehran, Rekabi apologised over what happened and insisted her headscarf had accidentally slipped off.
But activists expressed fears at the time that her comments had been made under pressure from Iranian authorities.
Iran Wire tweeted on Friday that she “did not go home from the airport and instead was whisked – not to her