Saudi women in drive ban legal bid

Saudi women leading a campaign against the kingdom's ban on female driving are calling on the courts to take up their lawsuits demanding the right to drive.

Manal al-Sherif said today that she and other activists are urging judicial authorities to launch proceedings based on complaints they lodged after being refused driving licences.

Al-Sherif said she filed her lawsuit in November and it was transferred to the Interior Ministry.

She was detained for nearly two weeks last year after posting an online video of herself driving. It helped launch wider protests.

No laws prohibit women from driving, but conservative religious edicts have banned it and officials comply with those.