Women's Restriction to Lead the Car, Seven Activists Arrested in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia authorities have arrested seven women's rights activists, weeks before the kingdom lifts restrictions on women to drive.

The reasons for the arrests are not yet clear, but activists say authorities are trying to silence women.

The state news channel reported that activists were arrested for deploying contacts with foreign powers.

Saudi Arabia has strict laws that women should seek permission for various decisions and actions.

Who are the banned activists?

In all, seven people have been arrested, including two male activists. Among them are Loujain al-Hathloul and Eman al-Nafyan, who have publicly rejected the ban on the event of the car by women, who must be removed on 24 June, broadcast the Oranews.

According to Human Rights Watch, both Nafyan and Hathloul signed a petition in 2016 to abolish the male custody system, which prohibits women from traveling abroad, getting married, or obtaining a passport without a male custody.

Hathloul was arrested twice, once in 2014, when she tried to travel to the United Arab Emirates border.

She served 73 days at a detention centre for minors, and documented many of her experiences on Twitter.

Hathloul was again arrested in June 2017, when he arrived at Dammam Airport, east of Saudi Arabia, but was released a few days later.

Saudi Activist placed third on the list of the most powerful Arab women in the world in 2015 and appeared along with high profile figures, such as Sussex's Duke Meghan Markle at the One Young World summit in 2016 for new leaders.

Nafyan also hit media headlines in 2013 when he was filmed with another activist driving in the Saudi capital before it was stopped by police.

Nafyan was released but refused to sign an agreement that she would not drive.