Now Saudi Women are officially allowed to drive vehicles

Women who hold a driver's license in Saudi Arabia are now allowed to drive after the kingdom has officially lifted the driving ban.

"This is a historic moment for every Saudi woman," Saudi television program reader Sabika al-Dosari told AFP news agency.

She claimed to have felt driving a few minutes after the driving ban was lifted on Saturday (23/6) midnight local time.

"The days when we waited for the driver for hours were over," said the 23-year-old female pharmacist, Hatoun bin Dakhil.

"We do not need men anymore," she added.

The lifting of the driving ban was applied after Saudi Arabia for the first time released a driver's license for women, on June 4.

Although the government of Saudi Arabia has released a driver's license, as many as eight activists are voicing that women can drive was arrested.

They were arrested last month and accused of being "traitors" for working with foreigners.

Loujain al-Hathloul, a vocal activist for women to be allowed to drive, is believed to be one of the captured figures.

Al-Hathloul has been arrested several times, including in 2014 when he attempted to drive across the border into the United Arab Emirates. At that time he was detained for 73 days in a juvenile detention center.

In addition to Al-Hathloul, there have been dozens of Saudi women who were arrested for driving in Riyadh in 1990. Later, Saudi women released video footage as they drove in 2008 and between 2011-2014.

Although the kingdom has been officially lifted the ban on driving, some Saudis have expressed rejection of women driving. They use a hedge on social media, which if translated means, 'You will not drive'.

The lifting of the women's driving ban is part of Prince Mahmoud Prince Mohammed bin Salman's program to modernize various aspects of Saudi society.

Other steps in the program include opening cinemas and allowing women to watch football matches inside the stadium.

However, there are still some things that Saudi women should not do, such as opening their own bank account.

To open a bank or travel account, Saudi women should still be accompanied by male relatives or provided written permission from their father or husband.