Zambia: Protesting Students Released

Zambian police beat and teargas opposition protesters (file photo).
20 May 2013

Cape Town — Zambia police have reportedly freed the university students detained on the president's orders after they protested against the government's decision to drop the maize and petrol subsidies.

According to AFP, the students were released after paying admission of guilt fines.

Hundreds of students from the University of Zambia had marched to President Michael Sata's office on Friday, demanding an audience with him.

Sata, who was away from the capital, ordered the police to arrest them - also telling the minister of education to expel the students from the university, AFP reports.

The president then yielded to pressure from the international community, opposition political parties and civil society organisations and withdrew his arrest order.

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