Cairo: Saudi police had referred a man to prosecution for having thrown a shoe at a woman for appearing in public with an uncovered face, Saudi news portal Ajel has reported.
The man, sporting a long beard, was seen in a viral video standing in a street and calling any woman appearing in public with her face uncovered an “adulteress”. On seeing one such a female, he removed his shoe and lobbed it at the woman who ran away in shock.
The incident occurred outside a shopping centre in the Saudi province of Yanbu, according to the portal. Police later identified the suspect and arrested him.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has sought to boost women’s rights as part of sweeping changes aimed at shedding the kingdom’s ultra-conservative image.
Last year, women in Saudi Arabia were allowed to get behind the wheel, ending a decades-long ban on female driving.
Earlier this year, authorities eased curbs on women’s travel abroad without the need for a male guardian’s consent.
