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Zimb
abwe immigration officials yesterday ordered US journalist
Andrew Meldrum to leave the southern African country, where he has
been based for 23 years.
No official reason was given for the deportation, although Meldrum,
who reports for Britain's Guardian newspaper, told reporters he had
been declared a "prohibited immigrant".
He was bundled into a waiting car and driven to the airport, but
his lawyer said she had obtained an order staying the
deportation.
Beatrice Mtetwa said she had served papers staying the deportation
on government and immigration officials at the airport
yesterday.
By yesterday afternoon it was not clear if Meldrum had returned
from the airport.
Earlier, outside the immigration offices in central Harare, Meldrum
told reporters: "I have been declared a prohibited immigrant. I am
being deported".
As police pulled the 51-year-old reporter roughly by the lapels of
his jacket and bundled him into an unmarked car he shouted: "This
is not the action of a government confident of its own
legitimacy".
Last week immigration officials here said they wanted to speak to
Meldrum.
On May 7, five officials visited Meldrum's house in the capital,
but he was not at home. They did not give a reason for their
unannounced visit.
Meldrum went into hiding and his lawyer accused immigration
officials of wanting to deport the foreign correspondent.
Earlier this week Meldrum reported to immigration officials in the
company of his lawyer. He was ordered to hand over his passport and
his residence permit.
Meldrum is a permanent resident in Zimbabwe, and has the right to
work in the southern African country.
He said the Zimbabwean authorities had accused him of writing "bad
things about Zimbabwe", charges he denied.
He was arrested last year and charged with publishing falsehoods
after a story he wrote about political violence turned out to be
incorrect. However, a court later acquitted him.
He was served with a deportation order immediately after his
acquittal, but the High Court granted him leave to stay in the
country until he could challenge that earlier deportation order in
the Supreme Court.
Last week the Supreme Court ruled that a clause in Zimbabwe's
stringent press law that criminalises the publishing of falsehoods
was unconstitutional.
The law, called the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy
Act (AIPPA) was enacted by President Robert Mugabe shortly after
his disputed victory in presidential elections last year.
Legal experts and media watchdogs have condemned the law as unjust
and a breach of the right to free expression, guaranteed under
Zimbabwe's constitution. Meldrum is himself a vocal critic of the
law.
The controversial legislation is due to be amended, but critics say
it still contains clauses that are against freedom of
expression.
At least five foreign correspondents have been forced to leave
Zimbabwe since 2001. Meldrum is one of very few non-Zimbabwean
foreign correspondents still working in the country. –
Sapa.
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