In South Korea, in an international tournament an Iranian climber competed without a hijab. 

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After her friends told that since Sunday they have been unable to contact her, is growing fears for the wellbeing of Elnaz Rekabi. 

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On Tuesday before Elnaz Rekabi boarded a plane back to Tehran, her passport and mobile phone had been confiscated, The BBC quoted “well-informed sources”.

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According to The online news site Iran Wire, to ensure Rekabi with minimal scrutiny she could be flown home, she had been taken to Iranian embassy in Seoul. 

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the Iranian embassy in Seoul tweeted about Rekabi that, “strongly denies all the fake, false news and disinformation”  

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The statement said, “I firstly apologise for all the concerns I have caused. My hijab unintentionally became problematic. 

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I am currently on my way back to Iran alongside the team based on the pre-scheduled timetable." It is not clear that under which circumstances the statement emerged. 

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Last month, due to Mahsa Amini’s death in police custody, Iran has been gripped by deadly protests.  

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The country’s “morality police” had detained 22-year-old Mahsa Amini for not wearing a hijab properly. 

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While “zan, zendegi, azadi” (“woman, life, freedom”) was chanted by crowds, some female protester have cut off their hair and burned their hijabs. 

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Last year, at the sport climbing world championships, the first Iranian woman to win a medal was Rekabi. 

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