Women in Saudi Arabia will no longer be obliged to cover their heads and wear a black abaca provided their clothing is "modest and decent".
That's what the crown prince Mohammad bin Salman said in an interview with US TV CBS, Reuters reported. The laws are very clear and they are laid down in Shariah: women wear modest and decent clothes as well as men, says the Prince Reformer. However, this does not specify a special black abaa or black head covering - the decision is left entirely for women to decide what kind of modest and decent clothing to choose to wear, he adds.
Last month, a senior Saudi cleric said women should dress modestly, but they do not have to wear abaia.
It is unclear whether these statements signal a change in the coercive rules of dressing women in the kingdom. After Mohammad bin Salman was declared a heir to the throne, ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia has begun a process of increasing women's rights - they have been allowed to attend public sporting events and, since summer, to drive.
On March 8, a group of women celebrated the International Women's Day at Jeddah, taking advantage of a newly-acquired right - they fled for health without paying attention to the mock passers-by, Reuters said.
Yesterday, the Saudi crown heir arrived on a visit to the United States and will be accepted today by President Donald Trump.
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