New Russian road safety regulations bar transsexuals, transvestites and others with sexual "disorders" from driving.

The new regulations have been criticised by rights activists, who see them as unconstitutional and part of Russia's crackdown on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

The government resolution, dated December 29, lists numerous medical conditions that make someone ineligible for a driving licence, including "mental and behavioural disorders" as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The WHO classification includes "gender identity disorders" such as transsexualism and "disorders of sexual preference", including fetishism and voyeurism.

Human Rights First called it an "alarming violation of the rights of the transgender community" and "just another example of the Russian regime's methodical roll-back of basic human rights for its citizens".

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.