Britain won’t bend rules for Patson Dzamara and Evan Mawarire

Britain says it cannot bend the rules to accommodate Zimbabwean activists who were denied visas last month insisting that applications were considered on their merits, regardless of the applicant’s nationality.

The government was taken to task for refusing Evan Mawarire and Patson Dzamara temporary visas to allow them to address British parliamentarians on human rights violations in Zimbabwe.

The issue was first raised on Wednesday by Lord Purvis of Tweed who wanted to know whether the Minister was aware that the United Kingdom government had denied temporary visas to Evan Mawarire and Patson Dzamara who were due to inform the British parliament about the “egregious human rights and constitutional abuses by the ZANU-PF administration”.

Baroness Goldie responded that she could not comment on individual visa applications.

“These matters are considered by UK Visas and Immigration, which is required to apply a consistent approach. All visa applications are considered on their merits against immigration rules for visitors,” she said.

The question was raised again two days later this time by Lord Oates. The reply came from Baroness Williams of Trafford who said: “All applications for a visa to travel to the UK, regardless of the applicant’s nationality, are considered on their merits, in accordance with the Immigration Rules, taking into account the information and supporting documents provided in the application.”

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