Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi has been placed under house arrest for competing in an international contest without a headscarf, according to reports.
The 33-year-old was shown scaling a wall without her head covered at a contest in South Korea while representing Iran, which has been swept by protests ignited by Mahsa Amini’s death in morality police custody.
It was widely assumed she was expressing support for the protests and there were fears for her safety after reports friends had been unable to contact her.
News outlet Iran International has reported that the athlete was arrested upon return to her hometown Zanjan and her mobile phone confiscated,
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 hijab 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 home or family -- but to meetings with Iran’s Minister of Sports".
Human rights groups and activists have repeatedly accused the Islamic republic of coercing people into making statements of contrition on television or social media.
