Russia bans transgenders, people with disorders from holding driver's licence

The Russian government has reportedly banned transsexual and transgender people from holding a driving licence as part of its initiative to bring down the number of road accidents in the nation.

This decision of Russia has outraged human rights advocates who have branded the change as an "alarming violation of the rights of the transgender community," News.com.au reports.

The report quoted lawyer Shawn Gaylord as saying "banning people from driving based on their gender identity or expression is ridiculous and just another example of the Russian regime's methodical roll-back of basic human rights for its citizens".

The change was introduced by the Russian Health Ministry in December 2014. As per the changes, a new list of medical restrictions will decide whether or not a person is capable of holding a licence in the country. Although the list has been designed to crack down on the number of road accidents in Russia, it has outraged human rights groups because it lists transsexual, transgender and amputees as having "disorders" that could prevent people driving safely, the report added.

Read: IOC reminds athletes to refrain from protests in Sochi Winter Olympics