A group of 16 foreign sex workers, who were arrested late last month on the streets of Windhoek, as part of a larger group of 46 ladies of the night, have been released from custody.
Namibian Sun reported about two weeks ago that concerns were growing over the wellbeing of the foreign sex workers, with a consortium of non-governmental organisations calling for their immediate release from custody.
This week, one of the country’s most vocal sex workers, Mama Africa, said the constant arrest of sex workers, without any formal charges, is tantamount to harassment.
“I have been in this industry for 36 years. This thing of arresting sex workers, and just letting them go, is harassment.
“The police have nothing to do in their offices, they are bored. They must go and stop the housebreakings and violence in the country, and leave the innocent sex workers alone.
“They are targeting sex workers to get promotions, because they have nothing else to do,” Mama Africa said.
The foreign sex workers, who hail from other African countries, including Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana, were arrested as part of a larger group, which included local women plying their trade on the streets of the central business district.
Home Affairs and Immigration Director for Immigration and Border Control, Nehemia Nghishekwa, confirmed that the sex workers had been released.
He said those who overstayed in Namibia were given a letter to present at the border, so that they can go back home.
A local lawyer, who declined to be named, said immigration laws are very controversial, and that under the Immigration Control Act, individuals can be held in custody for 14 days at a time, without being charged with anything.
Namibian Sun reported earlier that the Namibia National Diversity Consortium Human Rights Organisations had demanded to know what had happened to the foreign sex workers.
At the time, they were allegedly locked up at the Windhoek Central Police Station.
The NGOs wanted to know whether these foreign sex workers had been given access to legal representation and translation services, and whether they had appeared in court.
“The media and police often report on these investigations as smuggling or trafficking, without explaining the nuances of migrant women, who are working underground. And often, because of labour and border restrictions, the conditions of migration are exploitive, but the sex work itself is not.
“Because sex work is not recognised as work, many migrant women, who do sex work, find themselves in labour markets that are unregulated, and that leaves room for exploitation,” the NGOs said in a statement.
Of the initial group of sex workers, those who were Namibian were released first, while some who were in the country legally with study permits, were also released.
Among those arrested were schoolgirls, who were returned to the school hostel they reside in.
GORDON JOSEPH
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