Manama: A Saudi man has divorced his wife after she sent him a video clip of her driving a car with her nephew in a public place in the Eastern Province.
The wife apparently wanted to surprise her husband by sending him the short clip on Whatsapp, the mobile application that enables users to exchange instant messages, pictures and videos.
However, the husband became so infuriated that his wife took the decision to drive in public without informing him that he decided to end their married life, local news site Sabq reported late on Monday.
He argued that his wife had broken the law and the social traditions and norms.
The husband later told the judge that he did not beat or hit his wife after watching the clip and that he simply asked her to go and stay with her family until the divorce papers are processed.
Women do not drive in Saudi Arabia even though there is no legal text that bans them from sitting behind the steering wheel.
However, social traditions against driving are so string that few women venture to drive in public. Those who do are stopped by the traffic police for driving without a Saudi driving licence, which usually results in signing a pledge not to drive again.
Online comments were divided over the husband’s decision to file for divorce. Many commenters praised him for standing up for traditions, but most criticized him for breaking a family and hearts rushing into an unfortunate decision.
