Manama: Police in Saudi Arabia are questioning four people, two men and two women, for their alleged anti-social behaviour in Al Khafji in the kingdom’s Eastern Province.

The case was launched after a video of a woman, wearing a man’s traditional thobe and covering her face with a man’s headdress, driving a car went viral on social media and prompted calls to the authorities to take action against those involved in it.

The probe determined that the video clip was filmed in a recreational facility in the Eastern Province and investigators identified the car owner, a security source said.

The proprietor of the facility was summoned and gave further details about the case, but the car owner refused to go to the police until after two days following pressure from the security agency, the source added.

Ziyad Al Raqiti, the spokesperson for the Eastern Province police, confirmed the case.

“Police experts upon viewing the video identified the car owner as a Saudi national in his 40s. He was summoned, but he did not respond, However, he later came to the police and he was referred to the public prosecution.”

The two women were identified as Arabs, but their nationalities were not given.

The legal aspect of the case will most likely focus on the kind of relationship between the men and the women as Saudi Arabia does not allow the free mixing of unrelated men and women.

There is no legal text that bans women from driving in Saudi Arabia and the issue is related mainly to social traditions and to women driving with valid driving licences.

The de facto social ban has been at times challenged by women who were then accused of “stirring up public opinion.”

The debate over allowing women to drive has been exceptionally heated on social media and the two camps have been using social, religious and economic arguments to prove their points.

The presence of thousands of male drivers to drive mainly Saudi women and girls has been regularly used by supporters of allowing women to drive to highlight negative social and economic problems.

The arguments have also been boosted by “grave concerns” felt by several women when riding with taxi drivers.

In April 2013, Saudi billionaire Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal ignited the debate by tweeting in favour of allowing women to drive.

“Allowing women to drive will result in saving at least 500,000 jobs held by foreign drivers and subsequent economic and social benefits for the nation,” Al Waleed posted.