Indian chess player
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Dear Ms Swaminathan,
You have cancelled your participation in the Asian Chess Championship in Hamadan in protest over the law regarding the compulsory wearing of headscarves that applies to women in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
We were delighted to hear this news, as it is very much in the interest of millions of women and girls in Iran.
With this boycott you have strengthened women in Iran in their resistance to compulsory veiling and their pursuit of human rights, and – together with women all over the world – expressed your solidarity with them.
In the hope that other female sportspeople, artists and politicians will follow your example and enrich the women’s movement in Iran and elsewhere with such lovely signs of solidarity, we, the staff of the ‘Contra Hijab’ working group, have great respect for your courage and wish to express our sincere thanks for your solidarity with our cause.
With kindest regards
‘Contra Hijab’ (NETWORK IRAN-WOMEN-SOLIDARITY)
Iran.women-solidarity@googlemail.com