Stop Zimbabwe Police Attacks on Women's Rights Leaders
When the women's rights organization, Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), staged a peaceful demonstration to commemorate the International Day of Peace, Zimbabwe's anti-riot police forcefully dispersed the women, injuring twenty and arresting and detaining another twelve.
Tell Zimbabwe's police force to stop their brutal attacks on peaceful protesters.
While ten of the detained women were later released, Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, the leaders of WOZA, are still being detained and have been charged with "kidnap" and "theft."
Sign this petition to ask the police to free Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu and to allow WOZA and other women's rights groups to hold peaceful protests.
We the undersigned ask you to allow peaceful demonstrations, like the one held by Women of Zimbabwe Arise, to take place without disruption by the police. On the International Day of Peace, twenty members of WOZA were injured during police dispersal of the demonstration--this brutal response to a non-violent gathering is unacceptable. Two leaders of WOZA, Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, are being detained on charges of kidnap and theft, and unless you can provide substantial proof of their wrongdoing, we call on you to ensure their immediate release.
