Clearly, the Saudi Arabian ban on women drivers that we mentioned yesterday is still very much in force.
Less than 48 hours after Saudi King Abdullah announced that women would be able to vote in local elections, a court in Jeddah sentenced a woman to 10 lashes for allegedly defying the Kingdom’s ban on female drivers, according to this item in WSJ’s “Driver’s Seat” blog.
Two other women, who are part of a new campaign called “My Right2Dignity Initiative”, were also summoned for questioning and will stand trial, joining a number of other women currently on trial for driving, according to the blog report by Dow Jones reporter Summer Said.
“What is happening to our women today is unfortunate and violates the rule of law and legal rights and is contrary to the reformist direction that was launched by the Custodian of the two holy mosques (the Saudi king),” My Right2Dignity Initiative said in a statement.
“Belatedly allowing women to vote in council elections is all well and good, but if they are still going to face being flogged for trying to exercise their right to freedom of movement then the King’s much-trumpeted ‘reforms’ actually amount to very little,” added Philip Luther, of Amnesty International.
Less than 48 hours after Saudi King Abdullah announced that women would be able to vote in local elections, a court in Jeddah sentenced a woman to 10 lashes for allegedly defying the Kingdom’s ban on female drivers, according to this item in WSJ’s “Driver’s Seat” blog.
Two other women, who are part of a new campaign called “My Right2Dignity Initiative”, were also summoned for questioning and will stand trial, joining a number of other women currently on trial for driving, according to the blog report by Dow Jones reporter Summer Said.
“What is happening to our women today is unfortunate and violates the rule of law and legal rights and is contrary to the reformist direction that was launched by the Custodian of the two holy mosques (the Saudi king),” My Right2Dignity Initiative said in a statement.
“Belatedly allowing women to vote in council elections is all well and good, but if they are still going to face being flogged for trying to exercise their right to freedom of movement then the King’s much-trumpeted ‘reforms’ actually amount to very little,” added Philip Luther, of Amnesty International.
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