Airport demo for asylum seekers

The trio fled President Robert Mugabe's regime

Campaigners protested at Gatwick airport on Saturday night against the deportation of Zimbabwean asylum seekers.

Their UK supporters said two men and a woman on board an evening flight to Malawi were being wrongly deported.

The Zimbabwean Association fears they will eventually be returned to President Robert Mugabe's regime.

A temporary ban on returning asylum seekers to Zimbabwe was lifted by the Home Office 10 days ago.

Resist removal

Association members distributed leaflets to passengers on the flight and asked the cabin crew and pilot to resist the trio's removal.

Group member Sarah Harland said: "We are very concerned for them."

Among the group flown out of London was Crispin Kulingi, a known activist against President Mugabe's regime.

Mrs Haland said he came to the UK after alleged attacks by Zimbabwean authorities put him in a coma and he had to spent months in hospital and a wheelchair.

A young woman who Mrs Harland said had escaped from Zimbabwe after police tried to force her to join President Mugabe's militia, and a second less well known activist, were also meant to be on the flight.

'Grave difficulties'

Katrina Phillips, another association member, said: "He is well known and if he is being returned, he is going to have grave difficulties."

She added: "We find it extremely difficult to understand why the Home Office, at the end of last week, decided Zimbabwe was a safe country to return asylum seekers to when the cricket situation was going on.

"This week it became very clear that it is not a free or safe country, and not a country that allows any opinion other than that of the government.

"We are also going to launch a campaign about this because it is quite ridiculous ... particularly when it is considered dangerous just to play cricket there."