The second protest was held on Tuesday, August 7.

The second protest was held on Tuesday, August 7.

For the past two weeks, the police have been stopping women who they catch cycling. The police officers take the woman to the police station and then call her father or her brother. In order to leave, the woman has to sign a document stating that she will “never again cycle in a public place”.



"The authorities say that they will reserve a park for women to cycle in”



I participated in the protests held this Tuesday and last Tuesday [August 2]. Hundreds of people took part in it. We all marched together, pushing our bicycles. Some people rode their bikes, too.



Because there were so many of us, the police didn’t dare to stop the march. However, this Tuesday, police officers arrested three women caught cycling and only freed them several hours later.



The local authorities said that they would reserve one of the local parks each Wednesday so that women could cycle there. The park in question is surrounded by a wall, which authorities said would keep men from watching.



This video was filmed during the protest on August 7.

Photo taken during the protest held on August 2.



"Activists launched a petition to get the president involved”



Activists launched a petition demanding that the local governor, Mohammad Fallahi; the vice president for women and family affairs, Shahindokht Molaverdi; and President Hassan Rohani take action to right this wrong. More than 1,500 people have already signed the petition.



We are determined to fight this injustice. We all live in the same country and the authorities should treat us equally. If women are allowed to cycle elsewhere in Iran, then it should also be authorised here in Marivan.