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Trial date set for Operation Sunrise demonstrators
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
October 10, 2006

One hundred and fifty-two members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) are to face trial in Bulawayo early next month. They are charged under Chapter 37 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act - 'participating in a public gathering with the intent to cause public disorder, breach of peace or bigotry'.

The members (women and men) appeared in remand court this morning where the Magistrate set the trial date for 7 November at Bulawayo Magistrates Court.

If convicted, the members could receive up to five years in custody or a heavy fine. They were arrested on 21 August in Bulawayo while protesting against Operation Sunrise (the slashing of zeroes).

Riot police arrested WOZA members as they were marching towards the RBZ offices where they intended to hand over an open letter to Gideon Gono. The peaceful protest started at 11am at the Post Office in Main Street. As the procession turned into Leopold Takawira St, to go to the Reserve Bank, police appeared and stopped the march, arresting the members. Over 20 members, many of them minors were subjected different forms of torture whilst in the offices of the Law and Order Department. They were made to sit on "air chairs" and beaten under their feet.

Visit the WOZA fact sheet

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