Woman Arrested for “Improper” Clothing in Saudi Released Without Charge

The Saudi woman arrested for viral video showing her violating the country’s strict dress codes has been released without charge.  

A statement released by the Center for International Communication said that Saudi police released the woman on Tuesday evening after a few hours of questioning. The statement said the video was published without her knowledge.

 Her identity has not been made public.

The woman was arrested after she was filmed walking around in a T-shirt and short skirt the historic town of Ushayqir which is located in the extremely conservative region of Najd. The video polarized opinion online, with some commentators praising the rejection of the controversial dress codes, whilst many others were outraged by the woman’s attire and criticized publically breaking the law.

Saudi Arabia requires women to dress modestly, with both Saudi’s and foreigners asked to wear Abayas and Saudi women required to cover their hair.

In recent years, there have been some efforts by the Saudi leadership to modernize and improve the Kingdom’s ultra conservative image. For example, the powers of the notorious religious police have been curtailed and girls are now permitted to participate in sport and physical education classes in schools.

However the ban on women driving remains, and Saudi women are not permitted to travel without the permission of a male guardian.