( CNN ) -- Several women who publicly supported a campaign to defy Saudi Arabia 's de facto ban on women driving fear they are being followed and investigated by the country 's secret police . The women , who requested anonymity due to their concerns for their safety , described to CNN Monday how they 'd been `` followed by cars filled with men since Saturday , '' when dozens of women across the kingdom participated in the October 26 Women 's Driving Campaign . At least five women said vehicles had been parked outside their houses since Saturday . `` I do n't know for sure if it is secret police or just men trying to harass us because we want the right to drive , but they are trying to intimidate us , '' said one woman . `` I 'm positive I 'm being followed by the secret police since Saturday , '' said another , who added she 'd gotten no official word she was being investigated . Over the weekend , in an extraordinary act of civil disobedience , at least 41 women got behind the wheel and drove on the streets of various Saudi cities . Many filmed themselves and uploaded those videos to YouTube . Now , several of them say the euphoria of that moment has quickly turned to worry over what might happen to them next . Many wonder if they 'll be punished for hitting the open road in such a closed society . While no formal law exists in Saudi Arabia specifically barring women from driving , religious edicts are often interpreted there to mean it is illegal for females to do so . Other Saudi women have been penalized in the past for defying the ban . In 1990 , a group of 47 women protested the prohibition by driving through the streets of Riyadh , the country 's capital . After being arrested , many lost their jobs and were placed under a travel ban . In 2011 , women 's rights activist Manal Al-Sharif spent nine days in jail for posting online a video of herself driving . Adding to their fears , the women say , is the detention of a man who worked closely with the campaign . They say Tariq Al-Mubarak , a columnist and teacher , was called in for questioning by the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution in Riyadh on Sunday and has not been released yet . Saudi Arabia 's Interior Ministry would neither confirm nor deny if Al-Mubarak was being held . Reached via text message , Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki , the Interior Ministry 's spokesman , responded to CNN , saying , `` as far as I know , the Bureau of Investigation ( BIP ) does n't detain anybody , but they could call people for questioning or interrogation . '' Despite repeated attempts , CNN was unable to reach the BIP for comment and was told by Al-Turki that the agency has no spokesperson . When asked if Saudi women who participated in or supported the women 's driving campaign were being targeted , followed or investigated , Al-Turki told CNN , `` I do n't understand the reason to follow anybody . If we have anything against anyone we would act according to the laws . '' One woman , whose worry is growing by the hour , said participants in the movement only wanted to `` emphasize to the Saudi government that this campaign is not a challenge to the Saudi government . '' She described the campaign , which has gained serious momentum since it was first announced in late September , as `` just following up on King Abdullah and other officials ' words in the past that the women 's driving issue is one for society to decide . '' `` We just want to be allowed to drive our own cars , '' she said . Saudi Arabia is still very much split over the question of women driving , with many women there supporting not just the driving ban , but also in favor of the conservative kingdom 's guardianship system , which mandates that Saudi women can not go to school , get a job or even travel without permission from their male guardians . Asked about the issue at a regular briefing Monday , a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department voiced support for Saudi women 's `` ability to drive . '' `` We support , of course , the right of women everywhere to make their own decisions about their lives and their futures , and the right to benefit equally from public services and protection from discrimination , '' said Jen Psaki , the spokeswoman . `` We support the full inclusion of women in Saudi society . '' She said that the Unites States raises `` human rights issues , equal rights issues , frequently with the Saudi government . ''
NEW : U.S. supports women 's `` ability to drive , '' State Department official says . The Women 's Driving Campaign event on Saturday drew many supporters . Some women who participated now fear repercussions . Score: 7