A Saudi woman who was sentenced with
10 lashes for defying the kingdom's ban on women driving has been
spared.
Shaima Justaneyah was found guilty on Tuesday in Jeddah of driving without the government's permission - sparking worldwide outrage.
But yesterday King Abdullah stepped in to stop the public flogging in a reprieve against the draconian religious edict.
It is
believed to be the first sentence that has not involved a violation of
Islamic law and came after around 20 women were arrested for driving
cars in the last few months in protest at their lack of rights in the
ultra-conservative kingdom.
Those women were detained for several days, but were not sentenced in court.
No laws prohibit women from driving, but conservative religious edicts in the country have banned it.
Ms Justaneyah had earlier told Arab News: 'I cannot think straight because of what I have had to go through.'
Saudi Arabia is the only country that bans
women - including foreigners - from driving.
Families are forced to either employers live-in drivers, or rely on male relatives to drive them around.
Earlier this week King Abdullah, 87, announced that women would be given the right to vote for the first time and run in the country's 2015 local elections.
But women will not be allowed to vote in elections being held across the country today.
The loosening of the country's strict laws is seen as a response to the 'Arab Spring' which has seen governments toppled in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
Samar Bedawi, a friend of the convicted woman, told The Guardian: 'She is depressed and doesn't want to talk about it, mainly because of the tribal rules which forbid using our names like this in the media.
'It was a big breakthrough when the king announced that women could vote... there was joy felt all around the country.
'But then reality sunk in and it was clear that he was just postponing what should be a basic right by another four years.'
Shaima Justaneyah was found guilty on Tuesday in Jeddah of driving without the government's permission - sparking worldwide outrage.
But yesterday King Abdullah stepped in to stop the public flogging in a reprieve against the draconian religious edict.
Draconian: Shaima Justaneyah (not pictured) was
sentenced to 10 lashes for driving without permission in Saudi Arabia,
but was given a reprieve by King Abdullah
Those women were detained for several days, but were not sentenced in court.
No laws prohibit women from driving, but conservative religious edicts in the country have banned it.
Ms Justaneyah had earlier told Arab News: 'I cannot think straight because of what I have had to go through.'
Reform: The Saudi King earlier this week said
women would be allowed to vote in the 2015 elections
Families are forced to either employers live-in drivers, or rely on male relatives to drive them around.
Earlier this week King Abdullah, 87, announced that women would be given the right to vote for the first time and run in the country's 2015 local elections.
But women will not be allowed to vote in elections being held across the country today.
The loosening of the country's strict laws is seen as a response to the 'Arab Spring' which has seen governments toppled in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
Samar Bedawi, a friend of the convicted woman, told The Guardian: 'She is depressed and doesn't want to talk about it, mainly because of the tribal rules which forbid using our names like this in the media.
'It was a big breakthrough when the king announced that women could vote... there was joy felt all around the country.
'But then reality sunk in and it was clear that he was just postponing what should be a basic right by another four years.'
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