Myndighederne i Saudi-Arabien er klare i mælet: Hvis protesterende kvinder sætter sig bag rattet i en bil, vil de blive straffet, for det er forbudt i det store olierige arabiske land med det strengt konservative muslimske styre.
The interior ministry has reiterated that anyone flouting the ban is likely to face unspecified punishment. Saturday’s planned protest is the third of its kind since 1990, writes BBC online Saturday.
About 1.000 people signed a petition (opfordring) calling either for women to be allowed to drive or for an explanation of why the prohibition should remain in force.
After the 1990 protest, a number of women were arrested or lost their jobs.
An interior ministry spokesman, Mansour al-Turki, stated that women were prohibited from driving, with violators – and their supporters – likely to face unspecified measures.
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.
But Mr Safar believes the government is still sending mixed messages, as it is itself divided over whether to lift the ban.
Earlier this week, about 100 conservative clerics asked for an audience at the royal court in the capital, Riyadh, to denounce the campaign as a conspiracy by women and a threat to the country.
