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Zimbabwe Watch outraged at arrests of more then 350 women and 19 babies
Zimbabwe Watch
February 16, 2006

Zimbabwe Watch is outraged at the arrest of more than 350 women and 19 babies after the Zimbabwe police broke up two peaceful "Bread and Roses" Valentine's marches in Bulawayo on Monday 13th of February and in Harare Tuesday 14th of February.

With these marches the grassroots group, Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), calls for attention for their daily struggle for survival and their right to a dignified life. In Bulawayo 181 women plus 14 babies were arrested while 192 women and 5 infants were taken into custody in Harare. WOZA coordinator, Jenny Williams, described their conditions of detention as:

"Simply appalling. Many of us had to stay in the courtyard under heavy rain. We were put in overcrowded cells or in the police bathrooms as the cells were full. The babies and their mothers were also in mass detention in the cells."

The detainees in Bulawayo have since been freed but charged with violating section 24 of the notorious Public Order and Security Act for participating in an unsanctioned procession, which charges they deny. The women held in Harare are still in detention at the time of publication of this Press Release.

"WOZA activists have been arrested so many times simply for engaging in peaceful protest over the last years. These are incredibly brave women standing up to repression with dignity. The treatment of those women and babies is inhuman and degrading and contravenes basic fundamental rights that are due to all human beings""said Pascal Richard, Zimbabwe Watch Coordinator.

Background
Over the past two years WOZA activities have been repeatedly arrested for engaging in peaceful demonstrations against the worsening economic, social and human rights situation in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Watch condemns POSA as a repressive law which violates internationally recognised human rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly guaranteed under the African Charter and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) - to which Zimbabwe is a state party.

Zimbabwe Watch is an independent coalition of Dutch NGO's that are concerned with the current situation in Zimbabwe. NiZA is an active member of Zimbabwe Watch. For further information please can contact:
Pascal Richard, Coordinator Zimbabwe Watch
Tel: +31(0)20 778 12 17
Mobile: +31(0)6 28 91 31 81

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