Saudi Arabia has arrested at least seven prominent women's rights activists - just a few weeks before the ban on women driving is formally lifted in the Kingdom.

It is claimed the activists, most of whom are women, were detained for their work campaigning for the right to drive and for other women's rights in Saudi Arabia.

"They detained them because they do not want them to publicly claim success," one activist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

Image: Activists campaigned on and offline for the right to drive

The state news agency confirmed arrests of people it said were part of a "cell" working to "undermine the security and stability of the Kingdom".

The statement was followed by what human rights charity Amnesty called a "chilling" smear campaign, including articles and infographics that were circulated widely on social and traditional media and labelled the campaigners "traitors" and "agents of embassies".


Image: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has passed reforms in the Kingdom

The crackdown casts a shadow over a raft of reforms in the conservative Kingdom, where young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has lifted a ban on women driving, allowed cinema screenings and even announced the construction of a new Silicon-Valley style city.

The changes have been hailed as historic, modernising reforms, allowing women freedoms they have long been denied. But while many have praised the changes, others suggest they may be cosmetic.

Kareem Chehayeb, a researcher for Amnesty International, told Sky News that civil society was being stifled in Saudi Arabia as the measures were being touted around the world.

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Image: Car showrooms and lessons catering for women have been introduced

"There is a interest in eliminating any form of freedom of expression, assembly and association when it comes to any form of human rights work," he said.

"At the same time there's an interest in giving the impression that reforms are happening that are giving people more rights and freedoms."

He said it was "absurd" to talk about reforms when activists who had campaigned for them were being detained.

Image: Aziza al-Yousef was also detained. Pic: Private, Amnesty International

Those arrested campaigners include Iman al-Nafjan, Aziza al-Yousef and Dr Aisha al-Manea, who has campaigned for women's rights in Saudi since the 1990s. Two men, lawyer Dr Ibrahim al-Modemigh and youth activist Mohammad al-Rabea, were also arrested.

Many of those detained have been arrested in Saudi before, including Loujain al-Hathloul, who has spoken against male guardianship - a system that means all women must have a male guardian who can make decisions on her behalf.

A decree last year began to reform the system, allowing women to access government services without guardian approval.

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The official statement accuses these three female activists of treason against Saudi Arabia. I'm speechless, disappointed and concerned. @saudiwoman @azizayousef @LoujainHathloul — Manal al-Sharif (@manal_alsharif) May 18, 2018

But it is still largely in operation and women's rights activists are agitating for it to be scrapped entirely.

The ban on women driving is set to formally end on 24 June.