Zimbabwe acts against BBC

The BBC stands by Africa Correspondent Rageh Omaar's report

The Zimbabwe Government has suspended all accreditation of BBC correspondents in the country, accusing the corporation of "distortions and misrepresentation".

Information Minister Jonathan Moyo said he objected to a television report by Africa correspondent Rageh Omaar about a speech by President Mugabe earlier this week.

All accreditations suspended until pending agreement, if at all possible, on ethical and professional code of conduct

Information Minister

The BBC says it stands by the report.

In a letter sent to the BBC, Mr Moyo said the report was at variance with what President Mugabe had said about the land issue, and was distorted to "give a false impression that there is no rule of law in Zimbabwe".

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 Click here to watch Rageh Omaar's report

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The letter said: "Your reporter clearly used the words that the president 'vowed to continue with the forcible acquisition' (of land), yet these words were nowhere in the president's speech."

It went on: "There is a world of difference between 'forcible acquisition' and 'lawful acquisition'".

Disappointed

Mr Moyo said his ministry "has suspended all accreditation of BBC correspondents in Zimbabwe pending agreement, if at all possible, on ethical and professional code of conduct."

Information Minister Jonathan Moyo was upset over the report

A BBC spokesman said: "We are disappointed with the decision. We will certainly be discussing the situation with the Zimbabwean Government to try to resolve it as soon as possible.

Rageh Omaar's report had also carried a frank interview with the country's finance minister, Simba Makoni, in which he gave a gloomy assessment of the Zimbabwean economy.

He admitted in the report that there were major economic problems, that tourism had virtually collapsed and that manufacturing was suffering lots of closures.

In February this year another BBC correspondent Joseph Winter and a South African journalist were expelled by the Zimbabwean authorities.

No official reason was given but Joseph Winter fled with his family in the middle of the night.

Just last month the correspondent for the Daily Telegraph had to leave after the government refused to renew his work permit.

The government is accused of cracking down on the media ahead of presidential elections next year.