Three schoolgirls who were detained by Burundi authorities for drawing on a photo of President Pierre Nkurunziza in their schoolbooks have been released.
Their release was made known by the Human Rights Watch Central Africa director, Lewis Mudge,
The schoolgirls were charged March 18 with “insulting the head of state” and faced up to five years in jail if they were convicted.
The schoolgirls’ detention led to international condemnation of the Burundian government, with critics showing their support for the girls on social media with crudely drawn images of Nkurunziza and the hashtag #FreeOurGirls.
The girls, who are all minors, are part of an initial group of seven arrested earlier this month in Kirundo province in the northeastern part of the African nation.
