Saudi Arabia is routinely blasted for their unequal gender-based laws. For example, the one that prohibits women from driving.

Another law which attracts scrutiny and protest on a regular basis is the stipulation that women should be dressed 'conservatively', meaning loose clothing covering most of the body, a headscarf and an 'abaya' (a full-length, sleeveless piece of outerwear).

A new video has surfaced on social media of a woman, reportedly a model called Khulood, walking around a historic fort in a village north of Riyadh, dressed in a flared miniskirt and a cropped top.

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According to Buzzfeed News it was only 24 hours after she posted the video on her Snapchat channel that Saudi Arabia's Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice began to '[coordinate] with the authorities to investigate it.'

This Tweet reads, 'Riyadh police arrests a woman dressed in indecent clothing in the village of Ushayqir, and has sent her to the public prosecutor.'

The most recent updates seem to point suggest that she has been arrested by Riyadh police.

The warrant, that was shared on Twitter yesterday, apparently read, 'she is taking photographs in indecent clothing, disrespecting and violating the teachings of Islam and violating the customs and traditions [of the country].'

It's unclear as to whether Khulood posted this video in defiance of sharia practice, but that hasn't stopped people responding in anger or support of the model.

We have been advised that this tweet reads, 'We demand that Khoulud be tried because she acted irresponsibly. Whether you like it or not, you have to respect the law. If everyone rebelled against the law because they did not like it, it would be a mess.'

This reads: 'She must not go out wearing [clothes] like this in conservative countries. She must respect the laws or else her fate will be decided.'

'Frankly we cannot remain silent ... now human rights activists will defend her and will say this is personal freedom.'

'These are the demands of the liberal community.

- A naked woman

- Co-ed movie theaters

- Songs and dance

This is how they understand development! No health or education.'

There has also been considerable support for the woman, with plenty of people pointing out that the law does not extend to non-Saudi women in the country.

This reads, 'The Saudi community displays contradictions. It does not mind that Trump's daughter walks in similar dress for hours. But they insult a Saudi girl and demand that she be tried.'

'I don't see any difference between those two photos: 1- When Trump's daughter is on TV screens, we support women rights. 2- But nobody cares about the Saudi woman because she is not on TV, and they are calling for her arrest.'

There has been a recent surge of women in Muslim-majority countries using social media to explore the issues of their gender being policed.

In Iran, the Hijab is compulsory and women have taken to the movement 'My Stealthy Freedom', by posting photographs of themselves jubilantly holding their headscarves away from themselves in defiance.

Likewise, women in Saudi are going to 'Women2Drive' and posting videos themselves driving around their country.

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Daisy Murray
Digital Fashion Editor

Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.