Driving without permission

Apparently, in Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to drive without permission.  It's not an actual law, so much as a religious ban:

There are no written laws that restrict women from driving. Rather, the ban is rooted in conservative traditions and religious views that hold giving freedom of movement to women would make them vulnerable to sins.

What happens if a man violates a traffic law?  The maximum penalty is a fine.  If a woman violates this ban, though, the penalty is to be whipped.  Shaima Jastaina was found guilty of "driving without permission" (which, again, is not a crime, but a religious ban), and has been sentenced to 10 lashes with a whip.  The story is reported in the Guardian. 

I want to have respect for other cultures.  I want to have tolerance for people's religious traditions, even if I don't understand or like them; it's not my place to tell someone they can't read their bible, or believe what they want or whatever, so long as it doesn't impact on others (though, of course, I can and will ridicule the batshit insane belief without reservation; I can both think you're crazy for believing something and fight for your right to believe it).   However, when it comes to causing harm to people for stupid reasons, that's an outrage that shouldn't be accepted in silence.

Also, notice:

Police usually stop female drivers, question them and let them go after they sign a pledge not to drive again. But dozens of women have continued to take to the roads since June in a campaign to break the taboo.

Police are charged with enforcing religious bans?  That in itself is a crime.

This isn't even considered to be a sin.  It's something that they're afraid can make women vulnerable to sin.  You might as well whip them for breathing.  But also, what about men?  Do they get whipped for behaviors that may make them vulnerable to sin?  Of course not.  This is just another way of oppressing and controlling women.  And it gives lie to the disingenuous efforts to increase women's freedom:

The sentence comes two days after King Abdullah promised to protect women's rights and decreed women would be allowed to participate in municipal elections in 2015. Abdullah also promised to appoint women to the all-male shura council advisory body.

Abdullah may have good intentions, but he's basically powerless against the religious establishment in a conservative culture.  Unless he stands up vigorously for women's rights and fair treatment, he's just a part of the problem.

I don't care if this practice is rooted in their religious traditions.  It's disgusting, and we shouldn't be afraid to call it so.  Religious tradition is no defense for this senseless cruelty.