Director of Global Initiatives at Human Rights Watch Minky Worden said that “Iranian women should not be spending a second in prison because authorities accuse them of peacefully attempting to defy a ridiculous ban that denies women and girls equal rights to attend a football match.” In a letter to Iranian soccer federation president Mehdi Taj, FIFA President Gianni Infantino wrote "Whilst we are aware of the challenges and cultural sensitivities, we simply have to continue making progress here, not only because we owe it to women all over the world, but also because we have a responsibility to do so, under the most basic principles set out in the FIFA Statutes," the Associated Press reported. Furthermore, Infantino gave Iran an ultimatum: take "concrete steps" towards equality or face the consequences.Award-winning photojournalist+women who dressed as men to enter Azadi (freedom) Stadium are unjustly arrested in #Iran@HRW calls on @FIFAcom President Gianni Infantino to press for detainees’ freedom+demand end to ban for women in stadiums: https://t.co/HtDpokGUC2 #NoBan4Women pic.twitter.com/rViXlQTuC5
— Minky Worden (@MinkysHighjinks) August 17, 2019