Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Vahid Agah ¹
• Amir Mohammad Imani ²

¹ Associate Professor, Department of Public International Law, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

² LLM, Public Law, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Introduction

The right to freedom of movement, as a core civil and political right, interacts with other fundamental freedoms, giving rise to new rights in modern societies. Among these, the right of access to vehicles and the ability to drive has become essential due to urban expansion, increased distances between home and workplace, and the growing necessity of mobility. Today, driving and using vehicles is indispensable to daily life, and restrictions on this right can undermine the enjoyment of other fundamental rights, such as the right to work and freedom of movement. Consequently, equal access for men and women must be guaranteed, and any restriction should remain exceptional, justified only under international human rights standards and constitutional principles.
However, In Iran, women’s access to vehicles and driving has been ambiguously addressed in legislation, regulations, and judicial decisions. This has resulted in limitations—particularly regarding the use of motorcycles and bicycles—which continue to affect women’s ability to fully exercise this right. Although these restrictions have historical roots, they have become a pressing issue in contemporary public law discourse. In this respect, the current study aimed to examine the right to operate a vehicle. The research question is as follows: What legal restrictions exist regarding women’s enjoyment of the right to choose and operate a vehicle under Iranian law?

Literature Review

Although the existing literature lacks comprehensive legal analysis, there are a few relevant studies on the topic. For instance, the article “Women’s Cycling and Motorcycling From the Point of View of Islamic Jurisprudence and Law” (Rezvan-Talab et al., 2023) adopted an approach rooted in Islamic jurisprudence (or fiqh). They relied on Islamic jurisprudential and narrative sources to examine the permissibility of women’s horseback riding and the potential extension of such rulings to bicycles and motorcycles. Nevertheless, their study concludes with only a cursory reference to the legal status of women’s horseback riding, cycling, and motorcycling in Iran. In another study, titled “Women’s Citizenship Rights and Choice of Means of Transportation,” Zabetian (2017) briefly discussed the issue of women’s cycling considering the Charter on Citizens’ Rights and prevailing social customs. Her analysis focused on the advantages and disadvantages of bicycle use in urban spaces—regardless of gender—and on the necessity of recognizing women’s right to use bicycles. However, this discussion is largely non-legal in nature. It seems that there is no independent or detailed scholarly research on the legal challenges associated with women’s right to operate vehicles.

Materials and Methods

The present study employed a descriptive–analytical method to examine the research question. The data was collected through library research.

Results and Discussion

The right to freedom of movement, like other rights, interacts with other public freedoms and provides a foundational basis for the emergence and development of new rights. A particularly significant example is the right to operate vehicles. Because of its importance in daily life, this right is now a modern necessity and is closely linked to other human rights. Any denial or restriction of this freedom inevitably undermines the realization of related rights. Although this freedom is not explicitly articulated in international human rights instruments, such silence does not negate its existence. According to the rational relation between the right to freedom of movement and the freedom to choose and operate a vehicle, the right to drive falls within the protective scope of freedom of movement and the prohibition of discrimination enshrined in these instruments. An examination of the Iranian legal framework reveals that the Constitution—as in Articles 2(6), 3(7-9-14), 19, 20, and 22—implicitly recognizes the right to drive without explicitly naming it. Similarly, statutory laws and regulations address driving-related matters but do not impose any explicit prohibition on women’s use of vehicles.
Nevertheless, legal ambiguities, legislative gaps, and imprecise drafting have allowed for arbitrary interpretations and discretionary enforcement by authorities, resulting in unwritten and discriminatory restrictions. As a result, women have faced unwritten and discriminatory restrictions preventing them from riding certain vehicles, particularly bicycles and motorcycles, in public spaces— despite the absence of any legal prohibition. Such practices contradict constitutional principles, as Articles 22 and 167 establish that any restriction on public rights and freedoms must be grounded in explicit legal provisions. In the absence of a clear legislative ban, no authority is permitted to impose limitations based on gender or legislative gaps. When the law does not prohibit women from riding bicycles or motorcycles in public spaces, and when the right to drive and obtain a license is recognized equally for all individuals regardless of gender, no official or institution may unilaterally introduce new restrictions by invoking legislative silence or ambiguity. Therefore, women should be able to exercise their right to ride bicycles and motorcycles in public spaces as part of their recognized citizenship rights, provided they comply with general traffic regulations.
It is thus incumbent upon the government, in line with its constitutional obligation to safeguard citizens’ rights and eliminate unjust discrimination, to address unlawful practices and repeal unauthorized decrees. Furthermore, legislative reforms should be undertaken, particularly revising the ambiguous Note to Article 20 of the Traffic Violations Law. Such reforms must adhere to the principles of legislative clarity, avoid vague or overly broad language, and include explicit provisions guaranteeing women’s right to cycle. These measures would strengthen gender equality, ensure legal certainty, and reinforce the rule of law in Iran.

Conclusion

In Iran, the existing restrictions on women’s riding bicycles and motorcycles in public spaces arise from ambiguities and deficiencies within transportation laws and regulations, as well as from inconsistent interpretations of these provisions, rather than from any explicit legal foundation. It is thus essential for the government to review and amend transportation regulations, repeal unlawful directives, and enact clear legal provisions to guarantee women’s right to cycle. These measures are necessary to ensure that women can exercise this right on an equal basis with men.

Keywords

• Freedom of Movement
• Women’s Rights
• The Right to Drive
• Bicycling
• Motorcycling

Main Subjects

• Public Law