Compass Newspaper
Saudi government issued warning to women over driving protest
The Saudi government has recently issued a public warning to women in the country over the planned protect about driving in the country. Although, campaigners have encouraged women to take part in the project in defiance of the ban, the interior ministry has issued a warning that anyone caught flouting the ban might face a lengthy and to unspecified punishment.
The authorities in Saudi Arabia have stepped up warnings to women not to defy a ban on female drivers by taking part in a mass driving protest.
According to report, It is estimated that around 17,00 women have signed the petition calling for women to be allowed to drive or for an explanation of why the prohibition should remain in force.
An interior ministry spokesman, Mansour al-Turki, considerably toughened the Saudi government line on the women drivers’ campaign on Thursday.
A previous statement on Wednesday was confusing, with both those pro- and anti- the campaign believing it favoured them.
A campaign activist, Zaki Safar, said that this was an unusually explicit statement of the ban, which is informal rather than enshrined in Saudi law.
“It is no longer an issue of a social choice – that the government does not itself support the ban,” Mr Safar said
“No, the spokesman was very clear. And any woman who drives on the 26th will face punishment.”
Saudi government issued warning to women over driving protest
