Saudi activist: Woman driver freed from detention

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

A Saudi woman detained for defying the ultraconservative kingdom's ban on female drivers was released Monday after growing international pressure for her freedom, a rights activist said.

The 32-year-old woman, Manal al-Sherif, became the center of a growing Internet campaign that also served to draw attention to plans for a June 17 rally calling for a mass driving protest to challenge the restriction.

The Saudi activist, Waleed Aboul Khair, credited al-Sherif's release on "pressure from inside and outside" Saudi Arabia, which follows an austere brand of Islam known as Wahhabism that is enforced by morality police.

... The reason for the early release was not announced by authorities, but Aboul Khair said al-Sherif signed an agreement not to attempt to drive again or speak to reporters.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/05/30/international/i101109D39.DTL&tsp=1

[Warpy]

1. Every male in Saudi was getting screamed at by wives, sisters and mothers

because of this. Not being able to drive is a major bone of contention for women there. Every single Saudi woman I've ever met has mentioned that one thing as the main thing that needed to be changed about their country.

I think they were really terrified she'd be a cause celebre and that no man in that country would get a moment's peace ever again (never mind missing nookie).

[Corruption Winz]

2. Women in America have their unfortunate circumstances to deal with...

Let's not lose sight of that. However, a story like this does put things into perspective..

A woman here has an issue, and she can drive herself to a rally or protest. A woman there needs protests and rallies to get out of jail, because her issue was that she was driving.