A three-year legal battle came to an end after a judge ruled that Mariam al-Otaibi, 32, had committed no crime by moving to Riyadh, against her family’s wishes.

She was arrested in 2017 after she fled her family home on the basis of alleged abuse by her father and brothers.

She was ultimately sentenced to more than three months’ imprisonment in al-Malaz Prison in Riyadh but continued to face “disobedience” charges after being released.

She gained more than 100,000 Twitter followers after beginning a campaign that declared “I am my own guardian”.

The judge stated: “The defendant is a sane, adult woman who has the right to choose where to live. What the defendant did by moving to Riyadh and living in a separate home is one of her natural rights and cannot be described as a punishable crime.”

Mena, a 35-year-old doctor in Jeddah, told The Times: “This judgment is historic because it’s rare. The male guardian system is still as strong as it’s ever been.” She added: “It’s been more than two years since women were allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia yet many are not driving, either because they fear harassment or their male guardian won’t allow it.”