JINHA

NEWS CENTER -Two Saudi women detained nearly a week ago for violating the kingdom's female driving ban.

The women, who were arrested Dec. 1 after driving into Saudi Arabia from the United Arab Emirates, are supporters of a grassroots campaign launched last year to oppose the ban. Organizers behind the Oct. 26 campaign say the ban on women driving underpins wider issues regarding guardianship laws in Saudi Arabia that give men powerful sway over women's lives.

Loujain al-Hathloul, 25, set out to defy the kingdom's ban on women driving by crossing into her country from the UAE.

Loujain said, "Denied entry to my country because I'm a woman driving my own car with a valid UAE driver's license which allows me to legally drive in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi border refusal expresses their carelessness to those agreements. Plus, they are denying their own citizen from entering my country"

Maysa al-Amoudi, 33, arrived the next day to deliver food, water and a blanket to al-Hathloul, Maysa's sister Hannah al-Amoudi said.

Hannah said authorities notified the family on Sunday that they were extending her sister's detention for another 25 days. They did not provide the legal reasons for holding her.

No official Saudi has commented on the arrests yet.

(gd)