Jackie Gooch, secretary of Amnesty International Diss, gets behind the wheel in support of a campaign in Saudi Arabia to give women the right to drive.

Supporters in south Norfolk are getting behind a campaign in Saudi Arabia to give women the right to drive.

Amnesty International Diss supporters are backing calls by Saudi women who want King Abdullah to give them the right to get behind the wheel – along with other basic rights currently denied to women in the kingdom.

Jackie Gooch, secretary of the Diss group of the human rights organisation, said: “Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that has banned women from driving.

“I can’t imagine not being able to just get in the car and drive to the shops to get the weekly groceries.

“But in Saudi Arabia, if I did so I could be arrested - just for being a woman.”

Last year, women in Saudia Arabia launched a “Women 2 Drive” internet campaign calling on women to defy the ban and take to the road. Many did and were arrested and at least one woman was sentenced to 10 lashes.

To find out more about Diss Amnesty, call Andrew on 01379 852301. To find out more about Amnesty’s campaigns, visit www.protectthehuman.com