Shayne
05-27-2006, 05:52 AM
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41242000/jpg/_41242165_bennett203.jpg
Former Zimbabwean MP Roy Bennett has been denied asylum in South Africa, where he fled earlier this year, saying he feared for his life.
The Zimbabwe police had said he was wanted in connection with an alleged plot to kill President Robert Mugabe.
He is allowed to appeal against the ruling and remains in South Africa.
Mr Bennett, treasurer of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, was jailed for eight months in 2004 after pushing a minister in parliament.
Mr Bennett's asylum application was not approved in terms of South Africa's 1998 Refugee Act, Home Affairs department spokesman Nkosana Sibuyi told the BBC.
He did not comment further on the merits of the case, but said Mr Bennett had the right to appeal against the decision.
Charges dropped
Mr Bennett went into hiding in March and appeared in South Africa the following month, after being sought by Zimbabwe police in connection with a an alleged plot to assassinate Mr Mugabe during his 82nd birthday celebrations in February.
Other MDC members who were arrested in connection with the same alleged plot were later released and charges dropped.
One man, Peter Hitschmann, on whose property the Zimbabwe authorities say an arms cache was found, remains in custody in connection with the same allegations.
The MDC has denied links with Mr Hitschmann.
'Callous'
The Zimbabwe Exiles' Forum said it was concerned that South Africa was refusing asylum to Zimbabweans.
"The South African government's stance regarding the self-evident case of Roy Bennett is not only callous, but also smacks of the hypocrisy that characterizes the government of President [Thabo] Mbeki's approach to the Zimbabwean crisis," ZEF executive director Gabriel Shumba said in a statement.
The organisation claims that if Mr Bennett is forced to return to Zimbabwe, he faces certain torture.
Mr Bennett was in prison from October 2004 to June 2005: a sentence imposed by other MPs after he pushed a government minister during an argument in parliament.
His farm has been seized under the land reform programme and several of his workers were beaten up by pro-government militias. Human rights and opposition groups say government critics have often been beaten, tortured and even killed in recent years.
Former Zimbabwean MP Roy Bennett has been denied asylum in South Africa, where he fled earlier this year, saying he feared for his life.
The Zimbabwe police had said he was wanted in connection with an alleged plot to kill President Robert Mugabe.
He is allowed to appeal against the ruling and remains in South Africa.
Mr Bennett, treasurer of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, was jailed for eight months in 2004 after pushing a minister in parliament.
Mr Bennett's asylum application was not approved in terms of South Africa's 1998 Refugee Act, Home Affairs department spokesman Nkosana Sibuyi told the BBC.
He did not comment further on the merits of the case, but said Mr Bennett had the right to appeal against the decision.
Charges dropped
Mr Bennett went into hiding in March and appeared in South Africa the following month, after being sought by Zimbabwe police in connection with a an alleged plot to assassinate Mr Mugabe during his 82nd birthday celebrations in February.
Other MDC members who were arrested in connection with the same alleged plot were later released and charges dropped.
One man, Peter Hitschmann, on whose property the Zimbabwe authorities say an arms cache was found, remains in custody in connection with the same allegations.
The MDC has denied links with Mr Hitschmann.
'Callous'
The Zimbabwe Exiles' Forum said it was concerned that South Africa was refusing asylum to Zimbabweans.
"The South African government's stance regarding the self-evident case of Roy Bennett is not only callous, but also smacks of the hypocrisy that characterizes the government of President [Thabo] Mbeki's approach to the Zimbabwean crisis," ZEF executive director Gabriel Shumba said in a statement.
The organisation claims that if Mr Bennett is forced to return to Zimbabwe, he faces certain torture.
Mr Bennett was in prison from October 2004 to June 2005: a sentence imposed by other MPs after he pushed a government minister during an argument in parliament.
His farm has been seized under the land reform programme and several of his workers were beaten up by pro-government militias. Human rights and opposition groups say government critics have often been beaten, tortured and even killed in recent years.