Elnaz Rekabi, the Iranian athlete who participated Sunday without a hijab in a climbing competition in the South Korean capital, will be transferred directly from Seoul to Tehran's notorious Evin prison.
This was revealed by IranWire, a site of Iranian dissident journalists.
According to IranWire, Reza Zarei, the head of the Iranian Climbing Federation, tricked the athlete by leading her from the hotel in Seoul to the Iranian embassy after receiving orders from Iranian Olympic Committee Chairman Mohammad Khosravivafa. Khosravivafa, who acted on input from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.
In Iran, the hijab is also mandatory for Iranian women in sports competitions even when representing their country abroad. "Elnaz had decided to appear without the hijab about a month ago and knew she would compete without the mandatory hijab," a source told IranWire, adding that the woman did not seek asylum "because her husband is in Iran and she wanted to return after the competition. He always makes such bold decisions."
The head of the Iranian Climbing Federation Reza Zarei, who was formerly a member of the Ministry of Information, promised Elnaz that if she handed over her passport and cell phone, he would take her to Iran quickly, without risk and without making it public. But, explains an IranWire source, "we know what the embassies of the Islamic Republic do. They will take her directly to the airport and bring her back to Iran."