Saudi Arabia said to ban women from working at night

The decision “ensures that women don’t begin work too early and don’t work after streets become empty”, the newspaper said.

It was not clear whether the rule applied to both Saudis and expats but is likely to only apply to local women, who face far stricter working regulations.

Under King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia, which adheres to a strict Islamic conservatism that applies many restrictions on women, has gradually opened up working opportunities for females, targeting specific roles such as assistants in women’s shops.

However, such shops have been forced to install partitions for male and female workers.