Riyadh - The editorial and advisory team of the "Voice of Saudi Women" website Wednesday said the Saudi Telecommunications Authority had blocked its site, saying the action did not fit the authority's role "as being responsible for providing knowledge and openness to the world."

"This action makes the authority just another dark force that stands against anyone who wants to move forward with our homeland," the group said in a statement published on a different website, Afaq, which means "horizon" in Arabic.

The Voice of Saudi Women website had been functioning until it was blocked.

"This is a national website that monitors the achievements of Saudi women, and focuses on the negative things which hinder women from taking an effective role in our society," added the statement.

The Kingdom is the only country in the world where women are not allowed to drive. But some activists are now publicly campaigning for changing the law.

In a report published earlier this year, the Human Rights Watch group said that there are discrimination policies against Saudi women's basic rights, such as working, traveling, or even having access health care.

Saudi Arabia maintains a strict segregation of the sexes outside the family home, where women are required to always be with their legal guardian. (dpa)