JINHA

NEWS CENTER – The five Chinese women's rights activists detained since the eve of March 8, International Women's Day, were released yesterday after 37 days under police custody.

Wang Man, Zheng Churan, Wu Rongrong, Wei Tingting and Li Tingting were planning to distribute posters and stickers against violence against women on March 8, International Women's Day, in several cities in China when police raided their houses in different cities across the country and arrested them. Several of the women have chronic health problems. One, Wu Rongrong, was reportedly forced to sleep on the floor of her cell and denied medical treatment for her chronic illness as punishment.

Lawyer Liang Xiaojun told the Guardian that police originally charged the women with "picking fights and making trouble," but changed the charge to "illegal assembly," which carries a five-year prison sentence.

The women are still suspects and their freedom of movement is being restricted.

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