Her lawyer Adnan Al-Saleh told Arab News through an English-speaking woman interpreter that her release orders were issued by the Alkhobar police.

“We don't know if she is actually out of the prison as we speak,” he said. “But, yes, her release orders have been issued.”

According to a Ministry of Interior directive issued in 1991, women driving automobiles is against the Kingdom's laws.

This was made clear in a statement issued by Deputy Minister of Interior Prince Ahmad last week. “A statement was issued in 1990 prohibiting women from driving cars in the Kingdom. The Ministry of Interior’s task is to implement an order. It is not our job to say something is right or wrong,” the prince said at a press conference in Madinah.