Manal Al Sharif driving in Saudi Arabia (with English subtitles)

For more on this case, follow @jessradio on Twitter.

Original translation by @FreeBenghazi, with help from Eman Al Nafjan
(@Saudiwoman) and Errafat Thabet (@samwaddah). Video production by Maisie Cohen. Co-ordinated by Jess Hill (@jessradio).

On Thursday May 19, Manal al-Sharif, a 32-year-old IT consultant, got in her car and drove through the streets of Khobar in Saudi Arabia. Sharif had a passenger with her -- Wajeha al-Huwaider, a women's rights activist. Al-Huwaider filmed al-Sharif driving, and the two women talked about the limitations they face as women in the Gulf kingdom.

Manal al-Sharif uploaded the video on YouTube, and before it was taken down four days later, it attracted over 600,000 views.

The following day, al-Sharif drove again, this time with her family. The car was stopped by traffic police, and arrested al-Sharif and her brother. They were released later that evening.

Around 2am the following morning, religious police arrived at al-Sharif's house, and arrested her again. Saudi authorities say she will be detained until June 5. Amnesty International has declared al-Sharif a 'prisoner of conscience', and is calling for her immediate release. (http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/25742/)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• manal al sharif
• driving
• saudi arabia
• arrest
• women's rights
• eman al nafjan
• english subtitles
• amworldtodaypm

[Antimoniter1993]

I'm a muslim boy and I think women should be able to drive freely.

[TheYemenRose]

all the muslims girls should drive freely.

[shahminhajuddin]

@thejovo223 yay :D !!! PARTYY!!

;)

[shahminhajuddin]

wholly sheet !! FEMINISTS in Saudi too? :O

soon they take over and turn this 1 last safe into America like Vegas !! :/

seeing American innocent men losing their own kids and hard earned money being snatched away,being shooed out of their own built homes is a good example of where Saudi Men will end up.. if Feminism grows in gulf !

The-spearhead(dot)c0m

[NasiH90]

May her Soul Rest in Peace !

[IBzu1]

@icecage001 what are you on about! Im supporting women's freedom in the kingdom!!

Plus women in other arab states have equal rights! I know? because I'm an Arab, Libyan Arab!

[icecage001]

@IBzu1 Well The Kingdom is Act itself, so beat it. I has sense. Only wrong thing is, that she can't leave kingdom freely and live in other muslim country in peace. If I don't like people drinking alcohol, Idon't have to live in this country, I can go and find job elsewhere.

I believe she can't, without stupid approvals and letters, and that is most crime: no freedom to travel freely, to move as free person. Driving is only joke.

[kconway93]

such a brave woman

[TestYourKnowledge]

please go to this website you will see what the kuffar planning 

[TestYourKnowledge]

@TheYemenRose bro be aware the conspiracy jewish

هذا هو الغزو الفكري

 saaid.net/mktarat/almani/33.ht­m

[Jesus102isa]

Manal Al-Sherif fue arrestada y detenida durante diez días el pasado mayo de 2011 tras publicar un vídeo en YouTube cerca de la ciudad de Khobar. Fue condenada a diez latigazos como resultado de los cargos a pesar de tener un permiso de conducir internacional. Arabia Saudí es el único país del mundo donde las mujeres tienen prohibido ponerse al volante."RIP"

[TheRishal]

@thejovo223 yes,today....