Saudi report claims women at wheel will have sex

[December 03, 2011]  RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- A Saudi rights activist says a report given to a high-level advisory group claims that women in the kingdom will have options for premarital sex if allowed to drive.

The ultraconservative stance suggests increasing pressure on King Abdullah to retain the kingdom's male-only driving rules.

Rights activist Waleed Abu Alkhair said Saturday that the document by a well-known academic was sent to the all-male Shura Council, which advises the monarchy. The report by Kamal Subhi claims that allowing women to drive will threaten the country's traditions of virgin brides, he said.

Saudi women have staged several protests defying the driving ban. The king has already promised some reforms, including allowing women to vote in municipal elections in 2015.

[Associated Press]

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