Source: Radio Farda (RFE/RL)
The mothers of several children who were scheduled to participate in a karate competition in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad have been barred from watching the event in person as security officials enforced a government ban on women entering stadiums in the country.
Video of a security officer stopping the mothers from entering a sports hall where the event was taking place was published on social media on July 22.
The women begin to protest against being barred from the premises but the security officer tells them he is enforcing a “national directive” that was sent to all sports halls across the country by the deputy minister of sports.
