BEIRUT, Lebanon — Saudi Arabia issued driver’s licenses to 10 women on Monday, a historic move that came 20 days before the government had planned to lift its longstanding ban on women driving.

The surprise announcement followed the detention of a number of Saudis who had campaigned for women’s right to drive. Some are still being held and have been accused of grave crimes that the government has said sought to “undermine the security and stability of the kingdom.”

The lifting of the driving ban was championed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a son of the Saudi king. Prince Mohammed has ordered a number of changes that seek to diversify the kingdom’s oil-dependent economy and improve life for Saudis.

Many Saudis have applauded what they say are efforts to make life in their ultraconservative kingdom more like life elsewhere. But Prince Mohammed’s critics say the changes have come with a heavy dose of authoritarianism that has further restricted Saudis’ already limited margins for expression.