Driving Campaign for Saudi Women Challenges Custom

An Arab Spring may be coming to Saudi Arabia on wheels. Saudi women take to the streets, not for political protests but the right to drive. “Though there are no traffic laws that make it illegal for women to drive in Saudi Arabia, religious edicts are often interpreted as a ban against female drivers,” reports Mohammed Jamjoom for CNN. In May, one female driver was detained for a week and had to promise not to drive anymore. But so far, authorities are choosing to ignore mass driving events organized over social media, including a Facebook page announcing “Women2Drive 17th June.” The page issues safety rules including wearing a hijab, showing the Saudi flag, traveling with a male and staying within Riyadh's city limits. Written in the late 7th century, the Koran does not cover cars or modern transportation; both Saudi men and women increasingly question an uneven application of religious rules. – YaleGlobal