Saudi woman arrested for disguising as a man to escape husband

JEDDAH - A Saudi Arabian woman who ran away from her husband and disguised herself as a man to remain hidden has been arrested, the Okaz daily reported Tuesday.

The woman in her twenties hid out by living with four men in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, drove a car and prayed in male congregations in mosques.

In conservative Saudi Arabia women can only live with men who are close relatives and they are not allowed to drive.

Religious police and vice squads frequently detain unrelated men and women found sitting together in public.

The four men were also detained for hosting her - though they denied knowing her true identity.

Officials say that the woman claimed to be a man “from the (United Arab) Emirates who had no identity papers after fleeing his family over death threats provoked by disputes”.

She is also accused of having stolen money from her husband before fleeing their house.