Ex-Woman Wrestler in Iran Fined Over Photo Without Hijab

Iranian authorities have fined a former woman wrestler for posting a picture of her without a mandatory headscarf on social media.

Massoumeh Suleimani recently revealed on her Instagram page that she has been fined 50 million tomans ($1,000) for what the Khorramabad Prosecutor's Office deemed as "acts of violence in cyberspace."

The picture in question showed Suleimani without a head covering at the gravesite of a victim of the brutal state crackdown on nationwide protests that erupted last year.

Suleimani, who gained recognition as a successful wrestler and international referee, was earlier forced to withdraw from the sport due to pressures from the security apparatus.

In defiance of a stern warning by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Islamic Republic continues to interfere in sports, repressing athletes and infringing the rights of sportswomen.

Suleimani was first arrested in December 2019 during widespread demonstrations sparked by a sudden surge in gasoline prices.

She was taken into custody again on May 10 of this year on charges of "incitement to commit violent acts in social media."

The human rights website Hengaw reported in August she had been sentenced to one year in prison. 

The case stemmed from the publication of photos depicting Suleimani without hijab at Nika Shakrami's gravesite. 

Nika, 16, was abducted and killed by security forces during last year's protests.

The teenage girl, like Suleimani, hailed from Khorramabad.