RIYADH // After nine days in prison for her role in promoting a national campaign by Saudi women demanding the right to drive, Manal al Sharif was released yesterday evening.
Ms al Sharif, a 32-year-old computer security specialist, was detained on May 22 after she defied a ban on female drivers and posted a video of her behind the wheel on YouTube. She also uploaded a second video explaining how the campaign, planned for June 17, would work.
Ms al Sharif, who is divorced and has a five-year-old son, was charged with "inciting women to drive" and "rallying public opinion", according to her lawyer, Adnan Al Saleh. It is not clear if those charges have been formally dropped or if her case is still under investigation.
A condition of her release is that she return for questioning if so requested, according to another attorney familiar with her case, Waleed Abu Al Khair.
Mr al Khair also said that Ms al Sharif was warned not to drive or talk to the media. Mr al Saleh declined to speculate on why his client was released. Earlier, he told local media that Ms al Sharif had sent a letter to King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz seeking her freedom.
More than 4,500 Saudis had signed an online petition to the king to free her. Her release comes after an outpouring of indignation and disbelief by both Saudis and critics abroad that Ms al Sharif was jailed for something that is not a moral or criminal offence. It merely violates a long-held but divisive custom in the kingdom.
cmurphy@thenational.ae
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: JAP Almahfuz, Fernando Jara (jockey), Irfan Ellahi (trainer).
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,400m
Winner: Yaalail, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Listed (PA) Dh180,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Dahess D’Arabie, Fernando Jara, Helal Al Alawi.
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2.200m
Winner: Ezz Al Rawasi, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi.
11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
