TV presenter flees Saudi Arabia amid ‘indecent dress’ probe

Shereen al-Rifaie was reporting on end of
driving ban on women when her abaya was blown open by wind

One-Minute Read Hinnah Mian

Rifaie was reporting on the lifting of the ban on women driving
in Saudi Arabia when her  white abaya – a
loose-fitting, full-length robe – was blown open by the
wind to reveal white trousers and a white top below. 

The Saudi General Commission for Audiovisual Media said the
footage of the incident came to its attention after circulating on
social media, reports Haaretz.

The clip sparked outrage online, with critics using the Arabic
hashtag “naked_woman_driver_in_Riyadh”, says the BBC.

Following the launch of the probe, Rifaie shared an image on
Snapchat of a plane ticket and her passport, indicating that she
fled the country. She is quoted by Saudi news site Ajel as
saying: “I was wearing decent clothes, and God will reveal the
truth of what has been said to me.”

Ajel claims she has returned to the United Arab
Emirates.

Under Saudi dress code, women must wear an abaya and hijab – a
traditional Muslim headscarf – when out in public. Foreign women do
not have to wear a hijab, but must wear an abaya. This dress code
is legally imposed and, if broken, can lead to prosecution.