Iranian chess player Sara Khadem competed this week at an international tournament without a headscarf, the latest in a series of high-profile Iranian women to publicly shun the head covering since the beginning of nationwide protests in August.

Citing two Iranian media outlets, Reuters reported Tuesday that Khadem competed in the Blitz Chess Championships and the FIDE World Rapid in Almaty, Kazakhstan, without a hijab, which is compulsory for women under Iranian law.

The Iranian outlets both published photos of Khadem sans headscarf. One outlet posted another photo that showed her wearing a headscarf, but did not say whether the photo was taken at the competition in Almaty.

Khadem, who is ranked 804 in the world according to the International Chess Federation, has not made any comment.

The protests in Iran were triggered by the September 16 death in custody of Mahsa Amini, 22, after her arrest for an alleged breach of the strict Iranian dress code for women.

source timesofisrael.com