Judicial Official: Visible Parts of Vehicles Are Not Private

Despite the opinions of some religious authorities stating that a vehicle is "personal property," the Deputy of the Judiciary has emphasized that the "visible" parts of a vehicle do not constitute private space. According to this official, only the "hidden" parts of the vehicle, such as the trunk, are considered part of individuals' "private space." Hadi Sadeqi, the Cultural Deputy of the Judiciary, stated that the "hidden part" of the vehicle, like the trunk, is regarded as private, while the "visible part" of the vehicle that can be seen without inspection is not private. He added, "When something is in public view, it is no longer private and does not count as private space, similar to the facade of buildings or a window without a curtain or a person showing themselves in front of a window." Sadeqi had previously mentioned that only those parts of the vehicle that are "automatically hidden" are considered "private space." The issue of whether vehicles are private has resurfaced following statements from the police spokesperson and the issuance of fatwas by religious authorities. Saeed Montazer Al-Mahdi, the police spokesperson, stated on Tuesday, July 4, that the inside of vehicles is not considered private space. However, the ISNA news agency published a day later fatwas from some religious authorities who regard vehicles as "personal property." Ayatollah Shabiri Zanjani stated that "any seizure and inspection without the owner's permission is inherently impermissible. However, if a significant interest, such as preventing the transport of weapons, depends on inspection, it is permissible according to the ruling of the Islamic judge." Other religious authorities, such as Makarem Shirazi and Nouri Hamadani, while emphasizing that the inside of vehicles is part of private space, have stated that "actions must be in accordance with the regulations of the Islamic government." The claims by police and judiciary officials that the inside of vehicles is not considered private because it is visible come despite their own regulations prohibiting the use of tinted glass in a way that obscures the driver and passengers. According to the "Law on the Protection of Promoters of Virtue and Preventers of Vice," which was issued in 2015, places that are "visible to the public without inspection, such as common areas of apartments, hotels, hospitals, and vehicles, are not subject to private space." Meanwhile, Mohammad Tarahmi, the legal deputy of the traffic police, emphasized on Friday that "issues such as uncovering the hijab, manner of dress, creating noise pollution, and any actions that cause harm to others are prohibited inside vehicles." According to Tarahmi, inspecting parts of the vehicle, such as the trunk, which are not visible, requires a judicial order. These statements from police officials come amid reports that police patrols and the Basij are inspecting vehicle trunks without judicial orders.