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 28 August 2008 06:42 BST

Queen strips Mugabe of his knighthood

Wednesday, 25 Jun 2008 17:17
Honorary knighthood bestowed upon Robert Mugabe to be cancelled by the Queen, government announces
An honorary knighthood bestowed on Robert Mugabe is to be cancelled by the Queen, it has been confirmed.

A Foreign Office spokesperson told inthenews.co.uk the move was down to the UK government's "revulsion" at the Zimbabwean president's regime.

Mr Mugabe was made an honorary knight commander of the Order of Bath in 1994, but the government had faced calls since 2003 for the award to be annulled.

The violent crackdown on political opposition in Zimbabwe that has accompanied the March 29th presidential election and led to challenger Morgan Tsvangirai pulling out of this Friday's runoff proved the final straw for Whitehall.

A Foreign Office statement explained: "On the recommendation of [foreign secretary David Miliband] Her Majesty the Queen has approved that the appointment of the president of Zimbabwe to be an honorary knight grand cross in the civil division of the most honourable Order of Bath be cancelled and annulled and that his name be removed from the register of honour members of that order.

"This action has been taken as a mark of revulsion of the abuse of human rights and abject disregard for the democrat process in Zimbabwe over which President Mugabe has presided." End of story


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