An 18-year-old girl and her 32-year-old aunt were arrested in Lusaka, Zambia on Monday for the girl’s choice of clothing.
The girl, who recently graduated with high marks, was arrested for wearing a miniskirt that allegedly caused several male police officers to become distracted and nearly led to a traffic accident.
The aunt was arrested for not advising her niece to dress more modestly.
The case was set to go to trial on Wednesday, but a state prosecutor informed the court that the prosecution had received instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions to discontinue the matter.
Former Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) chairperson Sara Longwe spoke out in support of the two women, stating that Zambians are protected by the Constitution to wear whatever they choose.
“There was no case to start with. Because there is no dress code in Zambia. We have freedom of expression, we are Constitutionally protected. Everybody can wear anything. Miniskirt is not indecent,” she said.