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Harare (dpa) - Sixty-three women detained in Zimbabwe during a Valentine's Day protest were released on bail Friday after appearing in a Harare court, a lawyer confirmed.
The 63 were part of a group of more than 150 women detained Tuesday in the capital during what they called a "bread and roses" protest. Around 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 (ZLHR).
Earlier reports had put the number of women still detained Friday at around 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 three o'clock this afternoon" (1300 GMT)."
"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 WOZA 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 per cent, escalating prices and deepening poverty
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
