Between the Lines

In 2001, a directive was issued prohibiting the search of vehicles without judicial authorization. However, in 2015, with the adoption of a note to Article 5 of the Law on the Protection of Those Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice, the matter was revisited. According to this amendment, any part of a vehicle that is visible and can be seen in public spaces is considered part of the public domain, while areas that are naturally concealed (such as the glove compartment or trunk) are regarded as private space. As stated by the spokesperson of the Parliament’s Legal and Judicial Commission in a report by Mizan news agency on July 9, 2017: “The inside of a car is private property, not private space; due to its windows and visibility, and because it affects the public, it is in fact considered part of the public sphere”.