A CHESS referee has admitted she won't return home to Iran after images of her not wearing a hijab were circulated online.
Shohreh Bayat was attending the first leg of the Women's World Chess Championship in Shanghai when she was seen without her headscarf on - which has now made her fear for her safety.
Headscarves are compulsory in Iran, with punishments including public admonishment, fines or even arrest.
The 32-year-old claims she wasn't attempting to protest when she didn't wear her hijab during her time as a chess official at the World Championships.
She told the BBC that she doesn't feel safe returning to her home country of Iran, despite saying she had covered her head at international tournaments, following Iranian rules.
She said: "I turned on my mobile and saw that my picture was everywhere. [The Sun] Read more
