Sharief admits she made a mistake by driving a car in the Kingdom and promises never to do it again. This is according to Dr. Ghazi Al-Shammari, Chairman of the Family Solidarity Committee in the Eastern Province Emirate, who told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that this is what Al-Sharief told him when he visited her at the Women's Prison in Dammam. Al-Sharief is the 32-year-old Saudi woman who was detained Saturday for driving a car in Al-Khobar. Al-Shammari had visited her accompanied by Brig. Gen. Abdullah Al-Boushi, Director of the Eastern Province Prisons. He said he spoke to her and quoted her as saying, “I made a mistake and I'm a daughter of this nation. I have nobody but my family and the sons and daughters of my nation. I advise girls of my generation to rally behind our leadership and Ulema. They know better than us about our condition. I'm confident about what I'm saying after sitting alone and contemplating.”She added that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is special because it has the Two Holy Mosques, is a refuge for Muslim hearts and is quite different from other countries in the world. Al-Sharief said she was well cared for and only wanted to return to her family and her work. She had repeated she made a mistake and confirmed she would not repeat the action again, according to Al-Shammari, who was quoting a conversation Al-Boushi had with her about her needs in prison. A source in the General Administration for Prisons said the administration in Dammam wrote a letter Wednesday to enquire about her situation. The letter also enquires about the possibility of detaining her in Al-Khobar Police Station or whether her detention should continue in the Women's Prison in Dammam. She is expected to be released Thursday. Other sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that great efforts are being made to get her released and that her remorse would be sufficient to ensure her freedom. Okaz/Saudi Gazette reported earlier that Al-Sharief also plans to withdraw from the campaign for women to drive, according to a source at the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR). The source said members of the NSHR met with Al-Sharief at the prison for 90 minutes on Tuesday and described her condition and treatment as good. “Manal wants to be released,” the source said. “She said the investigation had been carried out and she will withdraw from the campaign calling for women to drive cars.”
