Zambia's deportation of top Zimbabwe opponent: UN worried

The United Nation’s refugee agency, UNHCR, says it is worried about what it described as “the forced return” of a Zimbabwean asylum seeker from Zambia on Thursday.

The deportee in question is Tendai Biti, a top Zimbabwe opposition member and former finance minister. He is being sought over allegations of inciting political violence after contested polls.

Zambia had earlier refused to grant Biti asylum, according to its Foreign Affairs minister, because they did not deem his reasons as enough grounds.

Refoulement or forcibly returning refugees and asylum-seekers to their country of origin is a serious violation of international refugee law. UNHCR calls on Zambia to investigate this reported incident urgently.

A legal group in Zimbabwe has said that it has yet to have access to the former minister since he was returned to Harare. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Lawyers, like the UNHCR said it was worried about the situation.

JUST IN: The ZRP has confirmed that Tendai Biti has been arrested pic.twitter.com/VVFPIMuMuT

— ZBC News Online (@ZBCNewsonline) August 9, 2018

UNHCR concerned over reports of forced return of Zimbabwean asylum-seeker

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is gravely concerned about reports of the forced return of a Zimbabwean asylum-seeker by Zambia to his country of origin.

A senior Zimbabwean politician expressed the intention to seek asylum in Zambia at the border yesterday. It is reported that the authorities handed him over to his country of origin today despite a court order to the contrary.

Refoulement or forcibly returning refugees and asylum-seekers to their country of origin is a serious violation of international refugee law. UNHCR calls on Zambia to investigate this reported incident urgently.