Continued Opposition to Issuing Motorcycle Licenses for Women in Iran

While it was previously announced that one branch of the Administrative Justice Court ruled in favor of issuing motorcycle licenses for women, this time the head of the Administrative Justice Court announced that one branch of the court opposes issuing this license for women.

Mohammad Kazem Bahrami said on Sunday, December 24, that “there is a dissenting opinion on the issue of issuing motorcycle licenses for women” in the Administrative Justice Court, and this opinion is not final.

According to this official of the Administrative Justice Court, if final rulings are contradictory, the matter goes to the general assembly.

The matter of compelling the issuance of motorcycle licenses for women began with the publication of a “court ruling” from one branch of the Administrative Justice Court in Isfahan, which had ruled in favor of a woman’s complaint against the police force.

However, the Administrative Justice Court announced on Monday, August 5, that the issued ruling was not final and that the police force had requested a review of this ruling.

Also, an informed source at the Administrative Justice Court told IRNA that it seems unlikely that this ruling will be upheld in the review stage. No review ruling has been announced on this matter yet.

Motorcycle riding for women, like cycling, has no legal prohibition in Iran, as the requirements for obtaining a motorcycle license do not specify gender. However, despite this, motorcycle licenses are not issued to women and this segment of society cannot freely ride motorcycles on the streets.

Previously, Hadi Sadeqi, the cultural deputy of the Judicial Branch, said on August 16 regarding cycling and motorcycle riding for women that in Islamic culture, women riding saddles is disliked but not forbidden. Motorcycle riding has no religious objection, but riding a motorcycle may cause women’s hijab to be less observed.

Source: Voice of America