In an unexpected move, China has released five women’s rights activists, who had been detained for more than a month on charges of “picking quarrels and causing trouble.”

The women were arrested during the weekend of March 8, 2015 – International Women’s Day – after planning to demonstrate against domestic violence.

http://t.co/9vY6wAccs8 China Frees Detained Women’s-Rights Activists #CHINAnow pic.twitter.com/SbFPQHOEOd— CHINAnow (@CHINAnowApp) April 14, 2015

They are known for holding distinctive protests, such as a 2012 campaign pressing for more public toilets for women.

International outcry over their detention put pressure on the authorities to order their release. But it comes with conditions attached as Liang Xiaojun, lawyer for campaigner Wu Rongrong, explained:

“If the police believe that they have broken the relevant regulations, then they can take the five of them back into a detention centre at any time,” he said. “Or they can arrest or even prosecute them. They a