Posted on 05/24/2011 5:40:15 PM PDT by a fool in paradise
Saudi authorities have re-arrested an activist who defied a ban on female drivers in the conservative kingdom, a security official said Monday...
Through Facebook, the campaigners set June 17 as the day all women should drive their cars. The page, called "Teach me how to drive so I can protect myself," was removed after more than 12,000 people indicated their support for the call. The campaign's Twitter account also was deactivated.
Al-Sherif was detained for several hours on Saturday by the country's religious police and released after she signed a pledge agreeing not to drive.
...Khobar prison chief Ayoub ben Nahit was quoted as saying in the daily Al-Watan that al-Sherif faces accusations of "violating the rules and the system by driving her car, roaming the streets of the province."
He also accused her of "inciting public opinion" by posting the video clip.
...Activist Walid Abou el-Kheir posted on his Twitter account a petition signed by 300 Saudi activists appealing to the Saudi king to set al-Sherif free and make a clear commitment to ending the driving ban.
Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that bans women — both Saudi and foreign — from driving. The prohibition forces families to hire live-in drivers, and those who cannot afford the $300 to $400 a month for a driver must rely on male relatives to drive them to work, school, shopping or the doctor.
Women are also barred from voting, except for chamber of commerce elections in two cities in recent years, and no woman can sit on the kingdom's Cabinet. Women also cannot travel without permission from a male guardian and shouldn't mingle with males who are not their husbands or brothers.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
“Saudi authorities have re-arrested an activist who defied a ban on female drivers in the conservative kingdom, a security official said Monday...”
Conservative kingdom. Hmmmm.... Surprised the AP didn’t blame Bush.
look out Saudis! B4 youse knoes it they will want to vote and sit in the same pub as their old man!
LOL!
The Saudis will just have to ban pubs then.
lol... aint that just it?
Either way it could turn the tap off!
lol... aint that just it?
Either way it could turn the tap off! Get the girls pissed off and what happens every time? They protest and go on strike hitting the bedroom first!
This could well be the beginning of the original womens rights movement which - is antithetical to Islam....
YOU GO GIRLS! Just, er, go slowly if you are just starting out.
And I learned to drive at 36 so I know whereof I speak!
I think it’s great.
Also find it “odd” that the facebook and twitter posts could be taken down by Saudi government edict.
A chill wind blows.
Ha!
The Saudi Princesses drive anytime they’re out of the country!
I know one, who’s particularly fond of the Jeep Cherokee!
Interesting you should say that. We have a contractor friend that travels all over the Middle East and he told us on flights out of countries where the women wear burkas or similiar clothes they will be changing into “party clothes” on the airplane when it clears their country’s air space.
They’ve already banned pubs... It’s against the law to drink alcohol.
Banned?!! OH NO!!!!!
They are going to protest by driving, not parking. Those would be the wrong viral videos to post.
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