Saudi Arabian officials hunting woman who allegedly broke strict dress code laws

  • 18/07/2017

It's a video that in almost any other country wouldn't raise an eyebrow - but in Saudi Arabia, it's sparked an investigation by the authorities.

The video, posted on Twitter by a model known only as Khulood, shows her walking around a historic monument in one of Islamic nation's most conservative provinces, wearing just a miniskirt and a crop-top.

The outfit defies rules that require all women in Saudi Arabia to wear a black abaya - a loose, cloak-like dress - and a niqab headscarf while out in public.

The video is seen as an affront to Saudi Arabia's Sharia Law, with many on social media calling for her to be arrested as a result of her lack of respect for the country's dress code.

However, others are coming to her defence, saying that had she been foreign the outrage would not be nearly as severe, and criticising what they deemed to be inherent sexism in Saudi Arabia.

But it's not just internet users weighing in - it's officials from her town, who have urged politicians and the province's governor to get involved. Religious officials, who claim to be "coordinating with the competent authorities", seek to have her arrested.

Saudi Arabia is ranked the fourth worst nation in the world for gender parity by the World Economic Forum.

The staunch ally of the US doesn't allow women to drive, and only recently allowed them to vote and access education and healthcare without consent from a male guardian.

Newshub.