Iranian women have demanded that police issue motorcycle licences for women, permitting them to ride a motorbike officially, following a statement issued by Tehran’s traffic police banning women from riding the vehicles in the Iranian capital.

The Hamshahri daily reported that Iran’s traffic police had previously stressed that there was no ban on women riding a motorcycle if they had a licence. However, the police do not permit women to take the test to receive the permit.

The daily quoted an unnamed police source as saying that the law required them “to stop people riding without a licence, and since women do not have a licence, we are obliged to stop them”.

According to Hamshahri, the number of women riding motorcycles in big Iranian cities has been rising after the pandemic hit the country, and the price of cars increased sharply.

“Women have found different discreet ways to ride their motorcycles on the streets, despite the official ban – they prefer to keep these methods secret so as not to face more restrictions by the police,” the daily added.

Source » middleeasteye