Sixty-three women detained in Zimbabwe during a Valentine’s Day protest were released on bail on Friday after appearing in a Harare court, a lawyer confirmed.
The 63 were part of a group of more than 150 women detained on Tuesday in the capital during what they called a ”bread and roses” protest. About 100 had already been released after paying fines, but the remaining women were either unable or unwilling to pay, said Otto Saki, of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
Earlier reports had put the number of women still detained on Friday at about 120.
The women were charged under the country’s Miscellaneous Offences Act for ”conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace”, the lawyer said. ”They were taken to court at around 3pm this afternoon.”
”Some of these women didn’t want to pay the fine,” said Saki, adding that the state would find it hard to sustain the charges when the 63, who were released on free bail, reappear in court on March 3.
In all, more than 300 Women of Zimbabwe Arise supporters were arrested this week for holding ”bread and roses” marches in Harare and the second city of Bulawayo.
The marches were called to press for affordable food and the right to a dignified life. Zimbabweans are reeling under inflation of more than 600%, escalating prices and deepening poverty. — Sapa-dpa