Straw threatens Zimbabwe with suspension

Britain will press for Zimbabwe to be suspended from the Commonwealth if the country continues its slide into totalitarianism, Jack Straw said yesterday.

The warning came as President Robert Mugabe prepared to push two draconian laws through the Zimbabwe parliament today, curbing free speech and tightening a clamp-down on political opponents.

Analysts said the measures, aimed at cementing Mr Mugabe's grip on power ahead of presidential elections in March, went far beyond the worst excesses of white minority rule in pre-independence Rhodesia. Lovemore Madhuku, professor of constitutional law at the University of Zimbabwe, said: "Even [the former Rhodesian Prime Minister] Ian Smith did not pass these kind of laws to suppress black people."

Mr Straw condemned the growing cycle of "political violence, including deaths, occupation of property and the harassment of independent journalists". He said Britain would press for Zimbabwe to be suspended when Commonwealth heads of government met in Australia in March if conditions, which were being monitored by the Commonwealth's democracy watchdog Cmag (Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group), continued to deteriorate.

The Foreign Secretary told MPs that the position in Zimbabwe constituted "a serious and persistent violation of the Commonwealth's political values and the rule of law". Downing Street said the statement had been cleared by the Prime Minister.

The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Bill, which was expected to be fast-tracked through the Zimbabwean parliament today, would empower Mr Mugabe to jail journalists who practise "unethical journalism" and ban foreigners from working as correspondents in Zimbabwe. Local journalists will require one-year renewable licences, and will face heavy fines and two-year jail terms for publishing stories deemed likely to cause "alarm, fear and despondency".

A second measure, the Public Order and Security Bill, will impose life and death penalties on those convicted of assisting in terrorism, espionage, banditry, sabotage and treason against the government.

Analysts say the offences are so ill-defined in the Bill that any criticism of Mr Mugabe could be classed as aiding terrorism. Journalists from five newspapers including The Independent, were accused last year by President Mugabe's government of aiding terrorism through their reports in the British press. Mr Mugabe has repeatedly accused Tony Blair of orchestrating "terrorist" plots to oust his government, and the British press of conspiring in these plots.According to Mr Madhuku, this could mean that anyone in contact with British organisations could be charged with aiding terrorism.

The Zimbabwean Information Minister, Jonathan Moyo, defended the Bills, saying they were being passed to address the problem of "lies" by foreign correspondents describing events in Zimbabwe.