Overview
- Judiciary outlet Mizan said two main organizers were arrested on warrants and that a criminal case was opened against those responsible for the event.
- The detainees include an official from the Kish Free Zone and an employee of the private company that organized the race, according to the prosecutor.
- The Dec. 5 event on Kish Island drew about 5,000 participants in separate men’s and women’s races, and online images showed some women competing without headscarves.
- Local authorities said the race violated public decency despite prior warnings to follow existing regulations, and ordered judicial supervision while their detention status remained unclear.
- Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei called for tighter enforcement of dress codes, as debates persist over policy on Kish and nationwide since protests after Mahsa Amini’s 2022 death, with President Masoud Pezeshkian declining to ratify tougher penalties passed by parliament.