Banned for spam as a result of a WhatsApp feature

I used the change number feature in WhatsApp to change my number as I have now moved to a different country. My WhatsApp account has now been blocked for spam because I chose the option provided by WhatsApp to notify my contacts that I have changed my number. How is this possible?! There is clearly a bug in their code! A 24-hour review time is unacceptable for an error caused by a bug in their code. I am now unable to contact my family and am in a foreign country.