Saudi Justice Minister Muhammad Al-Issa: Women Driving Not Illegal, But Depends on Will of Society

Following are excerpts from an interview with Saudi Justice Minister Muhammad Al-Issa, which aired on Al-Arabiya TV on April 26, 2013.

Interviewer: Saudi Arabia is being criticized for not allowing women to drive, although women can be found at universities, in the medical field, or working as engineers, merchants, businesswomen, and so on… As you well know, this gives Saudi Arabia a certain image. What did you tell the European MPs when they asked you about this?

Muhammad Al-Issa: Obviously, the topic came up. I told them that we do not have any constitutional or administrative text that prevents women from driving. This has to do with the will of Saudi society. It has to do with culture and will. If Saudi society – given its culture – wishes for women to drive, it's fine, but if society has any reservation, for whatever reason, that's fine too.

[…]