SAUDI ARABIA. - A popular woman's rights activist petitioned to the King of Saudi Arabia to remove its ban on women driving. Manal al-Sharif, 33, who was arrested last year for driving in the country and then posting the video of her driving on YouTube, has sent a petition to king asking him to allow women who possess foreign licenses to drive in Saudi Arabia.
The petition is the latest addition to the Women2Drive internet campaign that was prompted by al-Sharif's arrest. The petition was sent today to mark the campaign's one year anniversary.
In September, a women was sentenced to 10 lashes for driving in Jedda, however the sentenced was overturned by the king.
King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, who was crowned in 2005, has granted women the right to vote and take part in the municipal elections of 2015. However, Saudi Arabia is still one of the most repressed societies for woman, who is bound to male subjugation all her live as daughter, sister, wife and mother of. The male determines for the woman issues regarding everthing: employment, travel, education, marriage, socializing and even medical procedures.
In the letter, al-Sharif says that "banning women from getting behind the wheel was a result of customs and traditions, and not to do with God," as reported by BBC News.
According reports by CNN, the Women2Drive campaign is scheduled to hold demonstrations on June 17. The campaign has received tremendous support from other activist groups and even international organizations such as Amnesty International.
Al-Sharif, says tells CNN "when women break that taboo (driving) and they're not afraid to drive that car by herself- that's it...now she has the guts to speak up for herself and take action."
