Women are banned from cycling in public in Iran and made to sign pledge

A group of female cyclists have been arrested in Iran for the crime of riding a bike in a public place and made to sign a pledge promising they will not cycle in public again.The women, who were planning on cycling in an event in the north-western city of Marivan, were told by security forces they were in breach of a new directive that bans women from cycling in public places.The news comes less than a week after 150 people were arrested for attending a mixed-sex party near Tehran. Colonel Mohsen Khancherli, police commander for the west of Tehran Province, told Tasnim news agency they had received a report of a mixed gender event taking place and had made dozens of arrests. “Some 150 boys and girls had gathered at the mixed-gender party under the guise of a birthday party in this garden which is situated next to a studio where unlawful music was produced and recorded,” he said. “Upon arrival of the police, all those present were arrested and sent before the judiciary.”