Saudi Arabia releases 'miniskirt model' arrested for 'indecent clothing'

A model arrested by Saudi authorities after a video of her wearing a miniskirt in a public place went viral has been released without charge.

The footage - which stirred controversy in the ultra-conservative kingdom - was posted on snapchat by a 27-year-old Saudi known only as 'Khulood' earlier this week. It showed the aspiring model walking around an empty heritage site in the village of Ushaiqer while wearing a mini skirt.

She was later arrested for wearing "indecent clothing".

"She was released without charge and the case has been closed by the prosecutor," a statement from the Saudi Centre for International Communications said.

According to Khulood, the footage was posted for public viewing without her knowledge.

"She admitted to visiting the site in question with a male guardian, and that the viral videos were published by an account attributed to her without her knowledge," a police spokesman told CNN.

Khulood's arrest unleashed a social media storm, with many Saudis voicing both support for the model and outrage at her video.

"What about Hassan Jameel? Hypocrites," one Twitter user asked, referring to the wealthy Saudi businessman who was recently photographed kissing singer Rihanna in a swimming pool.

Another Twitter user, Saudi writer Ibrahim al-Munayif, wrote that women should follow the rules of the country, where they are expected to be covered in public places.

"Just like we call on people to respect the laws of countries they travel to, people must also respect the laws of this country," Munayif wrote.

Others cited the fact that access to pornography is largely unrestricted in Saudi Arabia - a country where the public separation of unrelated males and females is enforced.

Last year, a Saudi woman received death threats and had to deactivate her social media accounts after she shared an image of herself walking in the streets of Riyadh in a dress.