Female Saudi driver re-arrested
Source: Agencies |
May 24, 2011, Tuesday
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SAUDI authorities have re-arrested an activist who defied a ban on female drivers in the kingdom, a security official said yesterday.
Manal al-Sherif was accused of "violating public order" and ordered to be held for five days while the case is investigated, the official said.
Al-Sherif launched a campaign against the longtime ban last week by posting a video clip on the Internet of herself behind the wheel in the eastern city of Khobar. 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.
A security official said al-Sherif was re-arrested on Sunday at dawn. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Khobar prison chief Ayoub ben Nahit was quoted as saying in the daily newspaper Al-Watan that al-Sherif faces accusations of "violating the rules and the system by driving her car, roaming the streets of the province."
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 US$300 to US$400 a month for a driver must rely on male relatives to drive them to work, school, shopping or the doctor.
Manal al-Sherif was accused of "violating public order" and ordered to be held for five days while the case is investigated, the official said.
Al-Sherif launched a campaign against the longtime ban last week by posting a video clip on the Internet of herself behind the wheel in the eastern city of Khobar. 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.
A security official said al-Sherif was re-arrested on Sunday at dawn. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Khobar prison chief Ayoub ben Nahit was quoted as saying in the daily newspaper Al-Watan that al-Sherif faces accusations of "violating the rules and the system by driving her car, roaming the streets of the province."
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 US$300 to US$400 a month for a driver must rely on male relatives to drive them to work, school, shopping or the doctor.
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