Spain has granted citizenship to Iranian chess player who took part in a chess championship without wearing a headscarf.
The 26-year-old grandmaster, Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, also known as Sara Khadem moved to Spain after she took part in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships held in Kazakhstan in late December, 2022 without an headscarf.
Reports quoting Spanish ministry said that the country has granted nationality to Sara Khadem.
“In response to the exceptional circumstances concerning Mrs Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, I have just granted her Spanish nationality,” Justice Minister Pilar Llop was quoted in the country’s Official Journal of the State (BOE) as saying on Wednesday. He used Khadem’s full name, according to Al Jazeera.
Khadem participated in the chess championships without wearing a headscarf in solidarity with the women's protests which broke out in Iran following the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini in September last year. The Iranian-Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini (22) died after she was arrested by Tehran morality police for an alleged breach of the country’s strict dress code for women.