Turkey releases Iranian anti-Hijab activist after brief detention

Turkish authorities on Sept. 7 detained Iranian activist Maryam Shariatmadari on the grounds that "her visa had expired," but a day later released her. Shariatmadari fled Iran in 2018, a year after she was sentenced to prison for her vocal criticism of the country's hijab mandate.

Ayhan Çimendağ - DUVAR

Iranian activist Maryam Shariatmadari who fled Iran in 2018 was on Sept. 7 detained in western Turkey on the grounds that her visa had expired. The activist however was released shortly after.

A vocal critic of Iran's hijab mandate, Shariatmadari was sentenced to prison with a group of women in 2017.

The Denizli Bar Association intervened during the activist's detention, noting that she would have a month-long grace period to leave the country in the case of a visa expiration.

The activist started the process to renew her visa.

Iranian activist Masih Alinejad also tweeted a video of Shariatmadari, noting that her detention could result in her deportation to Iran, which would be risky considering the conditions she left under.