20 Facts About Manal al-Sharif

Wajeha al-Huwaider filmed al-Sharif driving a car as part of the campaign.

Manal al-Sharif's work has been recognized by Foreign Policy, Time, and the Oslo Freedom Forum.

Manal al-Sharif graduated from King Abdulaziz University with a Bachelor of Science in computing and a Cisco Career Certification.

In 2011, a group of women including Manal al-Sharif started a Facebook campaign named "Teach me how to drive so I can protect myself" or "Women2Drive" that says that women should be allowed to drive.

The YouTube video of Manal al-Sharif's drive became inaccessible at its original location, the Facebook page for the campaign was deleted, and the Twitter account used by Manal al-Sharif was "copied and altered".

RTBF suggested that Manal al-Sharif had been sentenced to five days' imprisonment.

Manal al-Sharif drove with two women passengers in Ar Rass and was detained by traffic police in the presence of the CPVPV.

Manal al-Sharif was released after signing a statement that she would not drive again.

On 26 May, authorities said that Manal al-Sharif would remain in detention until 5 June 2011, according to Waleed Abu Al-Khair.

Manal al-Sharif referred to 22 Indonesian women and named four women needing help and stated the amount of their debts.

Manal al-Sharif called for donations to be made directly to the director of the Dammam women's prison in order to reimburse the women's debts and free them.

Manal al-Sharif was dismissed from her job and had to leave the company-owned flat in which she had lived.

In December 2012, Manal al-Sharif criticized an initiative by the Saudi government to inform husbands via SMS when their wives or dependents leave the country, in accordance with a law making men the legal guardians of their wives.

When King Abdullah appointed women to the advisory Shura Council for the first time in January 2013, Manal al-Sharif criticized the reform as too small, noting that the council was still not an elected body and could not pass legislation.

Manal al-Sharif stated that while Twitter had "once saved [her] life" and that online social network services had enabled Saudis to carry out uncensored discussion and communication for several years, especially around 2011, Saudi authorities found ways to use Twitter that she considered too authoritarian for her to continue using it.

Manal al-Sharif first married in Saudi Arabia and had a son in 2005.

On 23 January 2012, Manal al-Sharif was mistakenly reported dead in a car crash in Jeddah.

Manal al-Sharif is observant in most Islamic practices, including Halal, praying five to six times a day, etc.

In 2012, Manal al-Sharif was named one of the Fearless Women of the year by The Daily Beast, and Time magazine named her one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2012.

Manal al-Sharif was one of three people awarded the first annual Vaclav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent at the Oslo Freedom Forum.