<p>An Iranian woman player who competed in an international chess competition without hijab does not represent the country, the authorities have said.</p>

<p>The comments by Iran's chess federation on Wednesday come after Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, 25, was seen without the headscarf at the International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.</p>

<p>The authorities perceived her act as a show of support for the protests against the Iranian regime that were triggered following the custodial death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September.</p>

<p>"This chess player participated freely and at her own expense", Hassan Tamini, head of Iran's chess federation, was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.</p>

<p>"Khademalsharieh did not participate in these competitions through the federation, but went independently and did this action," he added.</p>

<p>Iranian Women athletes are required to adhere to Iran’s strict dress code as per Islamic laws, which includes covering their heads while participating in international events.</p>

<h2><strong>Iranian chess players Sara Khadem, Atousa Pourkashiyan abandon hijab while playing</strong></h2>

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<p>Tamini said that they were taken aback by Khademalsharieh’s action.</p>

<p>"We didn't expect this chess player to do this because she had participated in the previous tournaments in compliance with the standards", Tamini said.</p>

<p>According to the International Chess Federation website, Khademalsharieh is ranked 804 in the world.</p>

<p>Notably, she is not the first women athlete to compete in an international event without a hijab.</p>

<p>In November, a speed skater, Niloufar Mardani, was chastised by the authorities for attending a competition in Turkey without a headscarf.</p>

<p>Mardani participated "without authorisation," the sports ministry said, quoted by Iran's Fars news agency.</p>

<p>Similarly, climber Elnaz Rekabi wore only a headband during a competition event at the Asian Championships in Seoul in October.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>

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An Iranian woman player who competed in an international chess competition without hijab does not represent the country, the authorities have said. The comments by Iran's chess federation on Wednesday come after Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, 25, was seen without the headscarf at the International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

An Iranian woman player who competed in an international chess competition without hijab does not represent the country, the authorities have said. The comments by Iran's chess federation on Wednesday come after Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, 25, was seen without the headscarf at the International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The authorities perceived her act as a show of support for the protests against the Iranian regime that were triggered following the custodial death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September. "This chess player participated freely and at her own expense", Hassan Tamini, head of Iran's chess federation, was quoted as saying by Fars news agency. "Khademalsharieh did not participate in these competitions through the federation, but went independently and did this action," he added. Iranian Women athletes are required to adhere to Iran’s strict dress code as per Islamic laws, which includes covering their heads while participating in international events. Iranian chess players Sara Khadem, Atousa Pourkashiyan abandon hijab while playing Tamini said that they were taken aback by Khademalsharieh’s action. "We didn't expect this chess player to do this because she had participated in the previous tournaments in compliance with the standards", Tamini said. According to the International Chess Federation website, Khademalsharieh is ranked 804 in the world. Notably, she is not the first women athlete to compete in an international event without a hijab. In November, a speed skater, Niloufar Mardani, was chastised by the authorities for attending a competition in Turkey without a headscarf. Mardani participated "without authorisation," the sports ministry said, quoted by Iran's Fars news agency. Similarly, climber Elnaz Rekabi wore only a headband during a competition event at the Asian Championships in Seoul in October. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Woman chess player who competed without hijab does not represent Iran, says official

As Turkey is inching closer to its Presidential Elections, the headscarf debate in the country has heated up. The ruling party has now submitted a constitutional amendment that seeks to protect women's rights to wear the headscarves at work and also in daily life.

Turkey: Headscarf debate reaches Parliament; Turkish feminists condemn Erdogan's move

Turkiye would soon hold a referendum on wearing a headscarf as the country's President proposed a nationwide vote on guaranteeing a woman's right to wear one in state institutions, schools and universities.

Turkiye President Erdogan proposes referendum on wearing headscarf

<p>Several teenage girls were arrested by the Iranian police for not wearing headscarves at a skateboarding day in the southern city of Shiraz, along with some of the event's organisers, state media reported Friday, as reported by AFP.</p>

<p>A number of girls "removed their hijab at the end of the sports event without observing the religious considerations and legal norms", state news agency IRNA quoted Shiraz police chief Faraj Shojaee as saying.</p>

<p>A video purporting to show Tuesday's "Go Skateboarding Day" event went viral in Iran on social media.</p>

<p>"With the coordination of the judiciary, a number of perpetrators and people related to this gathering were identified and arrested on Thursday," he said.</p>

<p>"Holding any mixed sports or non-sports gathering without observing the religious and legal norms is prohibited... and the organisers will be dealt with according to the law," Shojaee added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shiraz governor Lotfollah Sheybani said the event was "held with the intention of breaking social, religious and national rules and norms", IRNA reported.</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-vaccines-prevented-nearly-20-million-deaths-in-first-year-report-491405">Covid vaccines prevented nearly 20 million deaths in first year: Report</a></p>

<p>Under Islamic law in force in Iran since its 1979 revolution, women must wear a hijab that covers the head and neck while concealing the hair. But many have pushed the boundaries over the past two decades by allowing their head coverings to slide back and reveal more hair, especially in Tehran and other major cities.</p>

<p>Iranian media on Sunday reported that police had arrested 120 people for alleged "criminal acts" including drinking alcohol, mixed-sex dancing and uncovering the hijab at a party in the forest in the country's north.</p>

<p>Under Iranian law, only non-Muslim citizens are permitted to consume alcohol for religious purposes, while dancing with the opposite sex is forbidden.</p>

<p><em>(with inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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Several teenage girls were arrested by the Iranian police for not wearing headscarves at a skateboarding day in the southern city of Shiraz, along with some of the event's organisers, state media reported Friday, as reported by AFP.

Several teenage girls were arrested by the Iranian police for not wearing headscarves at a skateboarding day in the southern city of Shiraz, along with some of the event's organisers, state media reported Friday, as reported by AFP. A number of girls "removed their hijab at the end of the sports event without observing the religious considerations and legal norms", state news agency IRNA quoted Shiraz police chief Faraj Shojaee as saying. A video purporting to show Tuesday's "Go Skateboarding Day" event went viral in Iran on social media. "With the coordination of the judiciary, a number of perpetrators and people related to this gathering were identified and arrested on Thursday," he said. "Holding any mixed sports or non-sports gathering without observing the religious and legal norms is prohibited... and the organisers will be dealt with according to the law," Shojaee added. Shiraz governor Lotfollah Sheybani said the event was "held with the intention of breaking social, religious and national rules and norms", IRNA reported. Also Read: Covid vaccines prevented nearly 20 million deaths in first year: Report Under Islamic law in force in Iran since its 1979 revolution, women must wear a hijab that covers the head and neck while concealing the hair. But many have pushed the boundaries over the past two decades by allowing their head coverings to slide back and reveal more hair, especially in Tehran and other major cities. Iranian media on Sunday reported that police had arrested 120 people for alleged "criminal acts" including drinking alcohol, mixed-sex dancing and uncovering the hijab at a party in the forest in the country's north. Under Iranian law, only non-Muslim citizens are permitted to consume alcohol for religious purposes, while dancing with the opposite sex is forbidden. (with inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Iran: Teenage girls arrested for not wearing headscarves at skateboarding event

<p>A YouTuber in Pakistan’s Gujranwala has been jailed for attempting to ‘prank’ women by intimidating them for not wearing a headscarf.</p>

<p>The prankster, called Khan Ali, runs a YouTube account titled ‘Vele Loog Khan Ali’ and provides funny videos on tutorials on various things.</p>

<p>In a video dated May 2, 2021, Ali decided to play a prank on random women by scaring and ‘harassing’ them for not wearing a headscarf.</p>

<p><a href="&lt;iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/050AljXHEng&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture&quot; allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;"><strong>WATCH |</strong></a></p>

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<p>In this video, titled ‘Dopatta loo Prank part 2’, Ali walks up to random women outside a university and claims this is a "message".</p>

<p>"You must tell your mothers, sisters and daughters to wear a dupatta," he says in the video’s introduction in local language and goes on to stress that "this isn’t a prank, it is a message."</p>

<p>He starts off the video by paying money to girls walking out of the university asking them to buy a headscarf and start wearing it.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/london-woman-shot-dead-in-pakistan-after-refusing-to-marry-local-382870" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/london-woman-shot-dead-in-pakistan-after-refusing-to-marry-local-382870&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjS1crw0ZzxAhWr63MBHV0qBMoQFjAAegQICBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2bRGW_SkBpkJT1_YuhwYqt" dir="ltr" href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/london-woman-shot-dead-in-pakistan-after-refusing-to-marry-local-382870&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjS1crw0ZzxAhWr63MBHV0qBMoQFjAAegQICBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2bRGW_SkBpkJT1_YuhwYqt" target="_blank">London woman&nbsp;shot dead in Pakistan after refusing to marry local</a></strong></p>

<p>While he can be seen getting slapped by few women in the video, he can also be heard yelling at women for not wearing a headscarf.</p>

<p>The ‘prank’ video was not appreciated by the women in the video or others on social media who believe this was harassment.</p>

<p>A complaint was lodged against the YouTuber. He has now been jailed and the CPO Gujranwala tweeted a picture of Ali being handcuffed and led by a lady police officer.</p>

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<p dir="rtl" lang="ur">ایس پی صدر عبدالوہاب کی زیر نگرانی تھانہ گکھڑ منڈی پولیس کا فوری ایکشن۔<br />
پرینگ ویڈیوکے نام پر عورتوں کی تذلیل کرنے والا ملزم گرفتار۔مقدمہ درج۔<br />
عوام الناس کی عزت و آبرو کی حفاظت اولین ترجیج ہے۔(سٹی پولیس آفیسر سرفراز احمد فلکی ) <a href="https://t.co/DyM0oYvZBi">pic.twitter.com/DyM0oYvZBi</a></p>
— CPO Gujranwala (@CPOGujranwala) <a href="https://twitter.com/CPOGujranwala/status/1405405178199687168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Here is how the social media reacted to the prank that went wrong, on every level:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">HARASSMENT EVEN AS A PRANK ISN'T FUNNY<br />
HARASSMENT EVEN AS A 'LIGHT THING' ISNT FUNNY<br />
NO! IT ISN'T CASUAL<br />
NO! IT ISN'T "JUST FOR FUN"<br />
HARASSMENT IS HARASSMENT AND SHOULD BE TAKEN AS THAT.<br />
NO IT SHOULDN'T BE TAKEN AS A JOKE. HARASSMENT IS NO F'ING JOKE! IT'S TRAUMATIC</p>
— 𝓐𝔀𝓪𝔃𝓪𝓻 𝓟𝓱𝓸𝓮𝓷𝓲𝔁 (@Alinalogy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Alinalogy/status/1405383444390199321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sick sick sick!!!<br />
This is not prank but harassment. This guy should be behind the bars. <a href="https://t.co/92e93WsGIB">pic.twitter.com/92e93WsGIB</a></p>
— Brashna Kasi (@Brashnaa) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brashnaa/status/1405138282900602890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Why is harassment funny to people? Why do people feel the need to force religion on someone before perfecting their own? If someone says stop, you STOP. Have some manners man.<br />
<br />
Watched this disgusting prank (harassment) video and felt pity for those who have dealt with this smh.</p>
— Alisha 🦋 (@iamalishaa5) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamalishaa5/status/1405340482511818753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">this is clearly harassment in the name of “pranks” not funny at all and completely disgusting wtf is this <a href="https://t.co/VGYkZ0gyVv">pic.twitter.com/VGYkZ0gyVv</a></p>
— 𝒄𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒆 (@mishap29) <a href="https://twitter.com/mishap29/status/1405170015335243777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">That's the typical paki man's guide to "behan ap mujh se shadi karain ge" chapter 1</p>
— 🇵🇰 Daughter Of The Soil 🇵🇰 (@Spicelette) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spicelette/status/1405409471564759043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


A YouTuber in Pakistan’s Gujranwala has been jailed for attempting to ‘prank’ women by intimidating them for not wearing a headscarf. The prankster, called Khan Ali, runs a YouTube account titled ‘Vele Loog Khan Ali’ and provides funny videos on tutorials on various things.

A YouTuber in Pakistan’s Gujranwala has been jailed for attempting to ‘prank’ women by intimidating them for not wearing a headscarf. The prankster, called Khan Ali, runs a YouTube account titled ‘Vele Loog Khan Ali’ and provides funny videos on tutorials on various things. In a video dated May 2, 2021, Ali decided to play a prank on random women by scaring and ‘harassing’ them for not wearing a headscarf. WATCH | In this video, titled ‘Dopatta loo Prank part 2’, Ali walks up to random women outside a university and claims this is a "message". "You must tell your mothers, sisters and daughters to wear a dupatta," he says in the video’s introduction in local language and goes on to stress that "this isn’t a prank, it is a message." He starts off the video by paying money to girls walking out of the university asking them to buy a headscarf and start wearing it. Also read | London woman shot dead in Pakistan after refusing to marry local While he can be seen getting slapped by few women in the video, he can also be heard yelling at women for not wearing a headscarf. The ‘prank’ video was not appreciated by the women in the video or others on social media who believe this was harassment. A complaint was lodged against the YouTuber. He has now been jailed and the CPO Gujranwala tweeted a picture of Ali being handcuffed and led by a lady police officer. ایس پی صدر عبدالوہاب کی زیر نگرانی تھانہ گکھڑ منڈی پولیس کا فوری ایکشن۔ پرینگ ویڈیوکے نام پر عورتوں کی تذلیل کرنے والا ملزم گرفتار۔مقدمہ درج۔ عوام الناس کی عزت و آبرو کی حفاظت اولین ترجیج ہے۔(سٹی پولیس آفیسر سرفراز احمد فلکی ) pic.twitter.com/DyM0oYvZBi — CPO Gujranwala (@CPOGujranwala) June 17, 2021 × Here is how the social media reacted to the prank that went wrong, on every level: HARASSMENT EVEN AS A PRANK ISN'T FUNNY HARASSMENT EVEN AS A 'LIGHT THING' ISNT FUNNY NO! IT ISN'T CASUAL NO! IT ISN'T "JUST FOR FUN" HARASSMENT IS HARASSMENT AND SHOULD BE TAKEN AS THAT. NO IT SHOULDN'T BE TAKEN AS A JOKE. HARASSMENT IS NO F'ING JOKE! IT'S TRAUMATIC — 𝓐𝔀𝓪𝔃𝓪𝓻 𝓟𝓱𝓸𝓮𝓷𝓲𝔁 (@Alinalogy) June 17, 2021 × Sick sick sick!!! This is not prank but harassment. This guy should be behind the bars. pic.twitter.com/92e93WsGIB — Brashna Kasi (@Brashnaa) June 16, 2021 × Why is harassment funny to people? Why do people feel the need to force religion on someone before perfecting their own? If someone says stop, you STOP. Have some manners man. Watched this disgusting prank (harassment) video and felt pity for those who have dealt with this smh. — Alisha 🦋 (@iamalishaa5) June 17, 2021 × this is clearly harassment in the name of “pranks” not funny at all and completely disgusting wtf is this pic.twitter.com/VGYkZ0gyVv — 𝒄𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒆 (@mishap29) June 16, 2021 × That's the typical paki man's guide to "behan ap mujh se shadi karain ge" chapter 1 — 🇵🇰 Daughter Of The Soil 🇵🇰 (@Spicelette) June 17, 2021 ×

Watch: Pakistan YouTuber jailed for 'prank' intimidating women for not wearing headscarf

<p>Austrian MPs on Wednesday approved a law aimed at banning the headscarf in primary schools, a measure proposed by the ruling right-wing government.</p>

<p>So as to avoid charges that the law discriminates against Muslims, the text refers to any "ideologically or religiously influenced clothing which is associated with the covering of the head".</p>

<p>However, representatives of both parts of the governing coalition, the centre-right People's Party (OeVP) and the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), have made it clear that the law is targeted at the Islamic headscarf.</p>

<p>FPOe education spokesman Wendelin Moelzer said the law was "a signal against political Islam" while OeVP MP Rudolf Taschner said the measure was necessary to free girls from "subjugation".</p>

<p>The government says the patka head covering worn by Sikh boys or the Jewish kippa would not be affected.</p>

<p>Austria's official Muslim community organisation IGGOe has previously condemned the proposals as "shameless" and a "diversionary tactic".</p>

<p>The IGGOe says that in any case only a "miniscule number" of girls would be affected.</p>

<p>Opposition MPs almost all voted against the measure, with some accusing the government of focusing on garnering positive headlines rather than child welfare.</p>

<p>The government admits that the law is likely to be challenged at Austria's constitutional court, either on grounds of religious discrimination or because similar legislation affecting schools is normally passed with a two-thirds majority of MPs.</p>

<p>The OeVP and FPOe formed a coalition in late 2017 after elections in which both parties took a tough anti-immigration stance and warned of the dangers of so-called "parallel societies".&nbsp;</p>


Austrian MPs on Wednesday approved a law aimed at banning the headscarf in primary schools, a measure proposed by the ruling right-wing government. So as to avoid charges that the law discriminates against Muslims, the text refers to any "ideologically or religiously influenced clothing which is associated with the covering of the head".

Austrian MPs on Wednesday approved a law aimed at banning the headscarf in primary schools, a measure proposed by the ruling right-wing government. So as to avoid charges that the law discriminates against Muslims, the text refers to any "ideologically or religiously influenced clothing which is associated with the covering of the head". However, representatives of both parts of the governing coalition, the centre-right People's Party (OeVP) and the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), have made it clear that the law is targeted at the Islamic headscarf. FPOe education spokesman Wendelin Moelzer said the law was "a signal against political Islam" while OeVP MP Rudolf Taschner said the measure was necessary to free girls from "subjugation". The government says the patka head covering worn by Sikh boys or the Jewish kippa would not be affected. Austria's official Muslim community organisation IGGOe has previously condemned the proposals as "shameless" and a "diversionary tactic". The IGGOe says that in any case only a "miniscule number" of girls would be affected. Opposition MPs almost all voted against the measure, with some accusing the government of focusing on garnering positive headlines rather than child welfare. The government admits that the law is likely to be challenged at Austria's constitutional court, either on grounds of religious discrimination or because similar legislation affecting schools is normally passed with a two-thirds majority of MPs. The OeVP and FPOe formed a coalition in late 2017 after elections in which both parties took a tough anti-immigration stance and warned of the dangers of so-called "parallel societies".

Austrian MPs approve headscarf ban in primary schools

<p>Police in Tehran arrested 29 women on Thursday after they came out in public without their headscarves as a protest against the dress code in force against Islamic revolution of 1979 escalate.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Women have been protesting for a while and have been climbing onto telecom boxes, standing on pavements and monuments, removing their headscarf and waving it outside.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">More &amp; more brave <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IranianWomen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IranianWomen</a> &amp; even men &amp; old people protest against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForcedHijab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForcedHijab</a>, risking imprisonment &amp; torturing in Iran&rsquo;s jails. They deserve worldwide solidarity! Let&rsquo;s not close the eyes for this discrimination! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Feminism?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Feminism</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WomensMarch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WomensMarch</a> ? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%AF%D8%AE%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%AE%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%A8?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#دختران_خیابان_انقلاب</a> <a href="https://t.co/3AOOgUT0wu">pic.twitter.com/3AOOgUT0wu</a></p>
&mdash; Darya Safai (@SafaiDarya) <a href="https://twitter.com/SafaiDarya/status/959081757906784257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The women who were arrested were accused of public order offences and were referred to the state prosecutor&#39;s office.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thursday&#39;s arrests comes after at least six women were reportedly taken into custody in Tehran this week.</p>

<p>The protests have been happening for a long time but they have intensified since December last year after Iranian women&nbsp;as well as older women, men and even several clerics, have joined the movement and called for the law to be scrapped.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chief prosecutor Mohammad Jafar Montazeri said that the escalating protests were trivial and childish which may be influenced by foreigners.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But even religiously conservative Iranians have voiced support for the protests, with many saying that religious rules should be a personal choice.</p>

<p>Women have increasingly flouted the Islamic republic&rsquo;s clothing rules in recent years and often let their headscarves fall around their necks.</p>

<p>Morality police once rigidly enforced the rules, but are a much less common sight since President Hassan Rouhani came to power in 2013, promising greater civil liberties.</p>

<p>The protests appear to mirror that of a woman who stood in Tehran&rsquo;s busy Enghelab (Revolution) Street in December without a headscarf and waving a white scarf on a stick.</p>

<p>Women and girls older than age 9 have been required to wear a headscarf and long, wide coats to conceal their hair and body since Iran&#39;s Islamic Revolution of 1979. Activists face jail sentences of several weeks for removing their headscarves.</p>


Chief prosecutor Mohammad Jafar Montazeri said that the escalating protests were trivial and childish which may be influenced by foreigners

Police in Tehran arrested 29 women on Thursday after they came out in public without their headscarves as a protest against the dress code in force against Islamic revolution of 1979 escalate. Women have been protesting for a while and have been climbing onto telecom boxes, standing on pavements and monuments, removing their headscarf and waving it outside. More & more brave #IranianWomen & even men & old people protest against #ForcedHijab, risking imprisonment & torturing in Iran’s jails. They deserve worldwide solidarity! Let’s not close the eyes for this discrimination! #Feminism #WomensMarch ? #دختران_خیابان_انقلاب pic.twitter.com/3AOOgUT0wu — Darya Safai (@SafaiDarya) February 1, 2018 × The women who were arrested were accused of public order offences and were referred to the state prosecutor's office. Thursday's arrests comes after at least six women were reportedly taken into custody in Tehran this week. The protests have been happening for a long time but they have intensified since December last year after Iranian women as well as older women, men and even several clerics, have joined the movement and called for the law to be scrapped. Chief prosecutor Mohammad Jafar Montazeri said that the escalating protests were trivial and childish which may be influenced by foreigners. But even religiously conservative Iranians have voiced support for the protests, with many saying that religious rules should be a personal choice. Women have increasingly flouted the Islamic republic’s clothing rules in recent years and often let their headscarves fall around their necks. Morality police once rigidly enforced the rules, but are a much less common sight since President Hassan Rouhani came to power in 2013, promising greater civil liberties. The protests appear to mirror that of a woman who stood in Tehran’s busy Enghelab (Revolution) Street in December without a headscarf and waving a white scarf on a stick. Women and girls older than age 9 have been required to wear a headscarf and long, wide coats to conceal their hair and body since Iran's Islamic Revolution of 1979. Activists face jail sentences of several weeks for removing their headscarves.

WATCH: Police arrests 29 women in Iran following hijab protest

<p>Turkey&#39;s army is lifting a historic ban on female officers wearing the Islamic headscarf - hijab, state-run Anadolu news agency said.</p>

<p>The move, ordered by the defence ministry, applies to female officers working in the general staff and command headquarters and branches.</p>

<p>Women may wear the headscarf underneath their cap or beret so long as it is the same colour as their uniform and does not cover their faces.</p>

<p>The reform will come into force once it is published in the official gazette. It was not immediately clear if it applied to women on combat missions. It will also apply to female cadets.</p>

<p>The ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) co-founded by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long pressed for the removal of restrictions on women wearing the headscarf.</p>

<p>Turkey lifted a ban on the wearing of the Muslim headscarf, known as the hijab, on university campuses in 2010.&nbsp;It allowed female students to wear the headscarf in state institutions from 2013 and in high school in 2014.</p>

<p>And in the latest key reform before the army&#39;s move, Turkey in August for the first time allowed policewomen to wear the Islamic headscarf as part of their uniform.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(AFP)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


It was not immediately clear if it applied to women on combat missions. It will also apply to female cadets.

Turkey's army is lifting a historic ban on female officers wearing the Islamic headscarf - hijab, state-run Anadolu news agency said. The move, ordered by the defence ministry, applies to female officers working in the general staff and command headquarters and branches. Women may wear the headscarf underneath their cap or beret so long as it is the same colour as their uniform and does not cover their faces. The reform will come into force once it is published in the official gazette. It was not immediately clear if it applied to women on combat missions. It will also apply to female cadets. The ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) co-founded by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long pressed for the removal of restrictions on women wearing the headscarf. Turkey lifted a ban on the wearing of the Muslim headscarf, known as the hijab, on university campuses in 2010. It allowed female students to wear the headscarf in state institutions from 2013 and in high school in 2014. And in the latest key reform before the army's move, Turkey in August for the first time allowed policewomen to wear the Islamic headscarf as part of their uniform. (AFP)

Turkish army to lift ban on headscarf for female officers

<p>French far-right National Front presidential candidate Marine Le Pen canceled a meeting on Tuesday with Lebanon&#39;s grand mufti, its top cleric for Sunni Muslims, after refusing to wear a headscarf for the encounter.</p>

<p>Le Pen, among the frontrunners for the presidency, is using a two-day visit to Lebanon to bolster her foreign policy credentials nine weeks from the April 23 first round, and may be partly targeting potential Franco-Lebanese votes.</p>

<p>Many Lebanese fled to France, Lebanon&#39;s former colonial power, during their country&#39;s 1975-1990 civil war and became French citizens.</p>

<p>After meeting Christian President Michel Aoun -- her first public handshake with a head of state -- and Sunni Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri on Monday, she had been scheduled to meet the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian</p>

<p>He heads the Dar al-Fatwa, the top religious authority for Sunni Muslims in the multireligious country.</p>

<p>&quot;I met the grand mufti of Al-Azhar,&quot; she told reporters, referring to a visit in 2015 to Cairo&#39;s 1,000-year-old centre of Islamic learning. &quot;The highest Sunni authority didn&#39;t have this requirement, but it doesn&#39;t matter.</p>

<p>&quot;You can pass on my respects to the grand mufti, but I will not cover myself up,&quot; she said.</p>

<p>The cleric&#39;s press office said Le Pen&#39;s aides had been informed beforehand that a headscarf was required for the meeting and had been &quot;surprised by her refusal&quot;.</p>

<p>But it was no surprise in the French political context.</p>

<p>French law bans headscarves in the public service and for high school pupils, in the name of church-state separation and equal rights for women. Le Pen wants to extend this ban to all public places, a measure that would affect Muslims most of all.</p>

<p>Buoyed by the election of President Donald Trump in the United States and by Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union, Le Pen&#39;s anti-immigration, anti-EU National Front (FN) hopes for similar populist momentum in France.</p>

<p>Like Trump, she has said radical Islamism must be faced head on, although she has toned down her party&#39;s rhetoric to attract more mainstream support and possibly even woo some Muslim voters disillusioned with France&#39;s traditional parties.</p>

<p>After meeting Hariri on Monday, Le Pen went against current French policy in Syria by describing President Bashar al-Assad as the &quot;only viable solution&quot; for preventing Islamic State from taking power in Syria.</p>

<p>Lebanon has some 1.5 million Syrian refugees.</p>

<p>&quot;I explained clearly that ... Bashar al-Assad was obviously today a much more reassuring solution for France than Islamic State would be if it came to power in Syria,&quot; she told reporters.</p>

<p>Hariri, whose family has close links to conservative former French President Jacques Chirac and still has a home in France, issued a strongly-worded statement after their meeting.</p>

<p>&quot;The most serious error would be to link Islam and Muslims on the one hand and terrorism on the other,&quot; Hariri said.</p>

<p>&quot;The Lebanese and Arabs, like most of the world, considers that France is the home of human rights and the republican state makes no distinction between citizens on ethnic, religious or class grounds.&quot;</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


'You can pass on my respects to the grand mufti, but I will not cover myself up,' she told reporters

French far-right National Front presidential candidate Marine Le Pen canceled a meeting on Tuesday with Lebanon's grand mufti, its top cleric for Sunni Muslims, after refusing to wear a headscarf for the encounter. Le Pen, among the frontrunners for the presidency, is using a two-day visit to Lebanon to bolster her foreign policy credentials nine weeks from the April 23 first round, and may be partly targeting potential Franco-Lebanese votes. Many Lebanese fled to France, Lebanon's former colonial power, during their country's 1975-1990 civil war and became French citizens. After meeting Christian President Michel Aoun -- her first public handshake with a head of state -- and Sunni Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri on Monday, she had been scheduled to meet the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian He heads the Dar al-Fatwa, the top religious authority for Sunni Muslims in the multireligious country. "I met the grand mufti of Al-Azhar," she told reporters, referring to a visit in 2015 to Cairo's 1,000-year-old centre of Islamic learning. "The highest Sunni authority didn't have this requirement, but it doesn't matter. "You can pass on my respects to the grand mufti, but I will not cover myself up," she said. The cleric's press office said Le Pen's aides had been informed beforehand that a headscarf was required for the meeting and had been "surprised by her refusal". But it was no surprise in the French political context. French law bans headscarves in the public service and for high school pupils, in the name of church-state separation and equal rights for women. Le Pen wants to extend this ban to all public places, a measure that would affect Muslims most of all. Buoyed by the election of President Donald Trump in the United States and by Britain's vote to leave the European Union, Le Pen's anti-immigration, anti-EU National Front (FN) hopes for similar populist momentum in France. Like Trump, she has said radical Islamism must be faced head on, although she has toned down her party's rhetoric to attract more mainstream support and possibly even woo some Muslim voters disillusioned with France's traditional parties. After meeting Hariri on Monday, Le Pen went against current French policy in Syria by describing President Bashar al-Assad as the "only viable solution" for preventing Islamic State from taking power in Syria. Lebanon has some 1.5 million Syrian refugees. "I explained clearly that ... Bashar al-Assad was obviously today a much more reassuring solution for France than Islamic State would be if it came to power in Syria," she told reporters. Hariri, whose family has close links to conservative former French President Jacques Chirac and still has a home in France, issued a strongly-worded statement after their meeting. "The most serious error would be to link Islam and Muslims on the one hand and terrorism on the other," Hariri said. "The Lebanese and Arabs, like most of the world, considers that France is the home of human rights and the republican state makes no distinction between citizens on ethnic, religious or class grounds." (Reuters)

Far-right Le Pen cancels meeting with Lebanon grand mufti after refusing to wear headscarf

France&#39;s highest administrative court will decide today whether to overturn the ban on wearing the burkini that has triggered controversy at home and abroad.<br />
<br />
The Human Rights League and an anti-Islamophobia group are seeking to reverse a decision by the southern town of Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice, to ban the Islamic swimsuit. The State Council began hearing their arguements yesterday.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The ruling is due at 3.00 pm (1300 GMT) today. It is likely to set a precedent for around 30 French towns which have banned the burkini, mostly in the southeast. The decision, however, will not be about the legality of the ban.<br />
<br />
The judge will only rule on whether there is basis&nbsp;enough to suspend the ban temporarily until a decision on its legality can be made.<br />
<br />
The court will, therefore, consider two things: whether the town&#39;s decree banning the&nbsp;burkini&nbsp;is a flagrant violation of civil liberties, and if the harm caused is serious enough to immediately suspend it.<br />
<br />
<strong>Nice denies &#39;undressing&#39; claims&nbsp;</strong><br />
<br />
The burkini bans have triggered a fierce debate in France and elsewhere about the wearing of the full-body swimsuit, women&#39;s rights and secularism.<br />
<br />
&nbsp;A court in the Riviera city of Nice upheld the ban this week.<br />
<br />
Anger over the issue was further inflamed yesterday when photographs emerged in the media of police surrounding a woman in a headscarf on a Nice beach removing a long-sleeved top.<br />
<br />
But the office of Nice&#39;s mayor denied that the woman had been forced to remove clothing, telling AFP she was showing police the swimsuit she was wearing under her top, over a pair of leggings, when the picture was taken.<br />
<br />
The police issued her with a fine and she left the beach, the officials added.<br />
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<h5>Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he condemned any &quot;stigmatisation&quot; of Muslims, but maintained that the burkini was &quot;a political sign of religious proselytising&quot;.</h5>
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Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he condemned any &quot;stigmatisation&quot; of Muslims, but maintained that the burkini was &quot;a political sign of religious proselytising&quot;." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
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<br />
Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he condemned any &quot;stigmatisation&quot; of Muslims, but maintained that the burkini was &quot;a political sign of religious proselytising&quot;.<br />
<br />
&quot;We are not at war with Islam... the French republic is welcoming (to Muslims), we are protecting them against discrimination,&quot; he told BFMTV.<br />
<br />
But in a sign of the divisions within the Socialist government on the issue, education minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem said the &quot;proliferation&quot; of burkini bans &quot;was not a welcome development&quot;.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>&#39;Neither provocation nor stigmatisation&#39;&nbsp;</strong><br />
<br />
President Francois Hollande made his first comment on the issue yesterday, saying life in France &quot;supposes that everyone sticks to the rules and that there is neither provocation nor stigmatisation&quot;.<br />
<br />
The former president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who this week launched his bid to regain the presidency, has described the burkini as a &quot;provocation&quot;.<br />
<br />
Vallaud-Belkacem, who is of Moroccan origin, took issue with the wording of the ban in Nice which linked the measure to the jihadist attack in the resort last month in which 86 people were killed.<br />
<br />
&quot;In my opinion, there is nothing to prove that there is a link between the terrorism of Daesh and what a woman wears on a beach,&quot; she said, using another term for Islamic State. But Valls contradicted his minister&#39;s claims, saying the bans were necessary to maintain &quot;public order&quot;.<br />
<br />
The administrative court in Nice ruled on Monday that the Villeneuve-Loubet ban was &quot;necessary&quot; to prevent public disorder after the truck attack in Nice and the murder of a Catholic priest by two jihadists in northern France.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>&#39;Burkini ban is racist&#39;</strong><br />
<br />
The vague wording of the prohibitions has caused confusion, it seems. &nbsp;The so-called burkini bans never actually mention the word burkini, although they are aimed at the garment which covers the hair but leaves the face visible and stretches down to the ankles.<br />
<br />
Around 50 people held a protest outside the French embassy in London, recreating a beach and carrying placards saying &quot;Burkini ban is racist&quot;.<br />
<br />
Amnesty International called for the ban to be lifted immediately, saying it was &quot;fuelled by and is fuelling prejudice and intolerance&quot;.<br />
<br />
&quot;These bans do nothing to increase public safety, but do a lot to promote public humiliation,&quot; said the group&#39;s Europe director John Dalhuisen.<br />
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<h5>I don&#39;t think anyone should tell women what they can and can&#39;t wear. Full stop.&quot;- London mayor Sadiq Khan</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a and="" anyone="" can="" class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I don" should="" t="" tell="" they="" think="" what="" women=""><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
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<br />
Apart from the incident featured in the photographs in Nice, a 34-year-old mother of two told AFP on Tuesday she had been fined on the beach in the resort of Cannes wearing leggings, a tunic and a headscarf.<br />
<br />
&quot;I was sitting on a beach with my family. I was wearing a classic headscarf. I had no intention of swimming,&quot; said the woman, who gave only her first name, Siam.<br />
<br />
Anouar Kbibech, the head of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), said he was &quot;concerned over the direction the public debate is taking.&quot;<br />
<br />
London mayor Sadiq Khan, the first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital, also condemned the bans as he visited Paris Thursday.<br />
<br />
&quot;I don&#39;t think anyone should tell women what they can and can&#39;t wear. Full stop,&quot; he told the London Evening Standard newspaper.<br />
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France firmly separates religion and public life and was the first European country to ban the wearing of the Islamic face veil in public in 2010.<br />
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(Wion with inputs from Agencies)

The ruling is likely to set a precedent for around 30 French towns which have banned the burkini, mostly in the southeast

France's highest administrative court will decide today whether to overturn the ban on wearing the burkini that has triggered controversy at home and abroad. The Human Rights League and an anti-Islamophobia group are seeking to reverse a decision by the southern town of Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice, to ban the Islamic swimsuit. The State Council began hearing their arguements yesterday. The ruling is due at 3.00 pm (1300 GMT) today. It is likely to set a precedent for around 30 French towns which have banned the burkini, mostly in the southeast. The decision, however, will not be about the legality of the ban. The judge will only rule on whether there is basis enough to suspend the ban temporarily until a decision on its legality can be made. The court will, therefore, consider two things: whether the town's decree banning the burkini is a flagrant violation of civil liberties, and if the harm caused is serious enough to immediately suspend it. Nice denies 'undressing' claims The burkini bans have triggered a fierce debate in France and elsewhere about the wearing of the full-body swimsuit, women's rights and secularism. A court in the Riviera city of Nice upheld the ban this week. Anger over the issue was further inflamed yesterday when photographs emerged in the media of police surrounding a woman in a headscarf on a Nice beach removing a long-sleeved top. But the office of Nice's mayor denied that the woman had been forced to remove clothing, telling AFP she was showing police the swimsuit she was wearing under her top, over a pair of leggings, when the picture was taken. The police issued her with a fine and she left the beach, the officials added. Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he condemned any "stigmatisation" of Muslims, but maintained that the burkini was "a political sign of religious proselytising". Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he condemned any "stigmatisation" of Muslims, but maintained that the burkini was "a political sign of religious proselytising". "We are not at war with Islam... the French republic is welcoming (to Muslims), we are protecting them against discrimination," he told BFMTV. But in a sign of the divisions within the Socialist government on the issue, education minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem said the "proliferation" of burkini bans "was not a welcome development". 'Neither provocation nor stigmatisation' President Francois Hollande made his first comment on the issue yesterday, saying life in France "supposes that everyone sticks to the rules and that there is neither provocation nor stigmatisation". The former president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who this week launched his bid to regain the presidency, has described the burkini as a "provocation". Vallaud-Belkacem, who is of Moroccan origin, took issue with the wording of the ban in Nice which linked the measure to the jihadist attack in the resort last month in which 86 people were killed. "In my opinion, there is nothing to prove that there is a link between the terrorism of Daesh and what a woman wears on a beach," she said, using another term for Islamic State. But Valls contradicted his minister's claims, saying the bans were necessary to maintain "public order". The administrative court in Nice ruled on Monday that the Villeneuve-Loubet ban was "necessary" to prevent public disorder after the truck attack in Nice and the murder of a Catholic priest by two jihadists in northern France. 'Burkini ban is racist' The vague wording of the prohibitions has caused confusion, it seems. The so-called burkini bans never actually mention the word burkini, although they are aimed at the garment which covers the hair but leaves the face visible and stretches down to the ankles. Around 50 people held a protest outside the French embassy in London, recreating a beach and carrying placards saying "Burkini ban is racist". Amnesty International called for the ban to be lifted immediately, saying it was "fuelled by and is fuelling prejudice and intolerance". "These bans do nothing to increase public safety, but do a lot to promote public humiliation," said the group's Europe director John Dalhuisen. I don't think anyone should tell women what they can and can't wear. Full stop."- London mayor Sadiq Khan Apart from the incident featured in the photographs in Nice, a 34-year-old mother of two told AFP on Tuesday she had been fined on the beach in the resort of Cannes wearing leggings, a tunic and a headscarf. "I was sitting on a beach with my family. I was wearing a classic headscarf. I had no intention of swimming," said the woman, who gave only her first name, Siam. Anouar Kbibech, the head of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), said he was "concerned over the direction the public debate is taking." London mayor Sadiq Khan, the first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital, also condemned the bans as he visited Paris Thursday. "I don't think anyone should tell women what they can and can't wear. Full stop," he told the London Evening Standard newspaper. France firmly separates religion and public life and was the first European country to ban the wearing of the Islamic face veil in public in 2010. (Wion with inputs from Agencies)

France's highest court to rule on burkini ban

<p>Companies should be allowed to prohibit staff from wearing the Islamic headscarf but only as part of a general ban on religious and political symbols, an adviser to the European Court of Justice said today.</p>

<p>The Islamic headscarf is a contentious issue in some European countries, particularly in France which attaches importance to the separation of state and religious institutions.</p>

<p>This is the first time Europe&#39;s highest court is handling a case on banning the headscarf, referred to it by a Belgian court hearing a compensation claim from a woman who was dismissed from her job for wearing an Islamic headscarf.</p>

<p>The woman was working as a receptionist for Belgian company G4S Secure Solutions, which has a general ban on wearing visible religious or political symbols.</p>

<p>The Belgian court asked the European Court of Justice whether forbidding the headscarf violated an EU law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of religion.</p>

<p>&quot;While an employee cannot &#39;leave&#39; his sex, skin colour, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or disability &#39;at the door&#39; upon entering his employer&#39;s premises, he may be expected to moderate the exercise of his religion in the workplace,&quot; Juliane Kokott, the EU court&#39;s advocate general, wrote in her opinion published today.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The advocate general&#39;s findings are not binding but the EU court typically follows the adviser&#39;s recommendation. A ruling from the European Court of Justice is expected later this year. The Belgian court will rule on the matter thereafter.</p>

<p>There are already some headscarf bans in schools and public institutions in France and Belgium. However, Germany&#39;s top court last year struck down a ban on teachers wearing headscarves in schools.</p>


Companies should be allowed to prohibit staff from wearing headscarf but only under general ban on religious and political symbols

Companies should be allowed to prohibit staff from wearing the Islamic headscarf but only as part of a general ban on religious and political symbols, an adviser to the European Court of Justice said today. The Islamic headscarf is a contentious issue in some European countries, particularly in France which attaches importance to the separation of state and religious institutions. This is the first time Europe's highest court is handling a case on banning the headscarf, referred to it by a Belgian court hearing a compensation claim from a woman who was dismissed from her job for wearing an Islamic headscarf. The woman was working as a receptionist for Belgian company G4S Secure Solutions, which has a general ban on wearing visible religious or political symbols. The Belgian court asked the European Court of Justice whether forbidding the headscarf violated an EU law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of religion. "While an employee cannot 'leave' his sex, skin colour, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or disability 'at the door' upon entering his employer's premises, he may be expected to moderate the exercise of his religion in the workplace," Juliane Kokott, the EU court's advocate general, wrote in her opinion published today. The advocate general's findings are not binding but the EU court typically follows the adviser's recommendation. A ruling from the European Court of Justice is expected later this year. The Belgian court will rule on the matter thereafter. There are already some headscarf bans in schools and public institutions in France and Belgium. However, Germany's top court last year struck down a ban on teachers wearing headscarves in schools.

Employers can forbid headscarf if general ban in place - EU court adviser

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