Controversial law bans sexual minorities from driving

Russia has passed a controversial law banning transvestites and transsexuals from driving, prompting sharp criticism from rights activists.

Legislation that took effect this week bans persons diagnosed as having a personality or gender-identity disorder, including transvestites and transsexuals, from taking the wheel.

The list also includes people with sexual fetishes, voyeurs and pedophiles, as well as pathological gamblers and kleptomaniacs.

The law follows other laws in Russia that discriminate against people because of their sexual orientation.

In 2012, President Vladimir Putin signed a law that bans providing information about gays to minors, despite opposition from international rights activists and international stars such as Madonna.

The legislation claims to be aimed at lowering Russia's high road accident death rate by taking drivers with certain medical conditions off the roads.

But a member of the Kremlin's rights council publicly questioned the justification for the legislation, saying it appeared to be a breach of human rights.

Yelena Masyuk, a member of the council, spoke out against the driving ban in a statement on Thursday on the council's website.

She highlighted the "possible unfairness of removing the right to drive for those suffering from disorders of gender identity and sexual preference".

"I don't understand why people with fetishes, kleptomaniacs and transsexuals can't drive a car, "Masyuk said. "It seems to me that this is a breach of the rights of Russian citizens."

Russia needs to "study global practice" and "judge whether a ban on people with fetishes, exhibitionists, voyeurs, kleptomaniacs and others from taking the wheel is well-grounded", Masyuk said.

The Association of Advocates of Russia for Rights said the ban "obviously contradicts international norms and standards".

The legal advocacy group pointed out that the ban would cover many comedians and pop stars popular in Russia.

If a male driver "is dressed as a woman and he gets recorded on a police camera, he'll lose his license", said Kolya Bakhtinov, a commentator on the website Gay.ru.