RIYADH (AFP) – Saudi women activists have called for a new day of defiance next month of the long-standing ban on women driving in the ultra-conservative kingdom.
An online petition entitled "Oct 26th, driving for women" had on Sunday gathered more than 5,800 signatories, as activists try again to push authorities to end the unique ban.
"I will drive on October 26," activist Nasima al-Sada told AFP on Sunday, saying that some 20 women are going to take part in the campaign in the kingdom's Eastern Province.
"Many women are enthusiastic about learning to drive, or to teach other" women how to drive, she said, as many Saudi women have obtained abroad the driving licences they are denied in their homeland.
"There is not a single text in the Sharia Islamic law that prevents us (from driving). Any pretexts used to do that are based on inherited customs," said the online petition.
"Just as revered women (at the time of the prophet) rode horses and camels, it is our right to drive cars -- the mode of our modern age, unless you want us to go back to mules and horses," the petition said.
* Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/09/22/saudi-women-call-new-day-defiance-against-driving-ban/#ixzz2fhb9YDBJ
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Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/09/22/saudi-women-call-new-day-defiance-against-driving-ban/#ixzz2fhaEzEUd
Monday, September 23, 2013
Saudi women call new day of defiance against driving ban
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