DHAKA: Two Saudi women were detained at a police station for driving a car in the capital Riyadh and refusing afterwards to call their male custodians to take them home.

Azza Al Shamsi and Baria Al Zubaidi were caught by the police as they were driving the car near a shopping complex.

Azza was behind the steering wheel and Baria was filming her.

When they were taken to the police station, they refused to call their male relatives as is customary in the kingdom, arguing that they were legally responsible for their acts and did not need custodianship, Saudi news site Khabar 24 reported, says, gulfnews.com.

The security sources cited by the site said that the two women seemed to have deliberately sought to be detained to prove their right to drive.

Although no legal text or rule bans women from driving in Saudi Arabia, the practice is not allowed.

Women drivers are detained for driving without a Saudi licence and they are invariably allowed to go home after they sign a pledge not to drive again.

BDST: 1547 HRS, DEC 12, 2013
Edited by: Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor