IMMIGRATION chiefs were ordered to halt the deportation of Zimbabwean asylum seekers last night until after the G8 summit as religious leaders condemned the forced expulsions.

Mounting pressure on the Government forced officials to cancel the deportation of a woman shortly before she was due to be put on a flight to Harare last night.

The Times has learnt that there will be a freeze on detaining Zimbabweans as officials try to defuse the crisis before the summit at Gleneagles next week. Human rights groups described the policy shift as a cynical ploy to avoid embarrassing Tony Blair during the meeting.

Ministers are also anxious to see an end to the hunger strike by Zimbabwean detainees as they do not want Britain’s treatment of refugees to dominate the summit agenda.

Senior ministers made a series of private telephone calls yesterday in an attempt to reassure critics of an immediate, if unofficial, halt to the fast-track deportations.

Two of Britain’s most prominent religious leaders said that they were amazed that detainees were being sent back to Zimbabwe. The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, yesterday told The Times that President Mugabe’s policies were deeply abhorrent and called for a moratorium on forced returns.

He also backed a call by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams for Zimbabwe’s neighbours to do more to stop violence in the country.

Pope Benedict VI is expected to intervene in the Zimbabwe crisis on Friday. A Vatican source told The Times that he is likely to refer to human rights abuses by the Mugabe regime at the end of a visit to Rome by Zimbabwe’s Catholic bishops.

Religious leaders have been restrained in their criticism of the regime as they feared damaging charity work in the region but the worsening crisis has forced them to speak out.

The Catholic interventions are significant because Mr Mugabe is Catholic and attended the funeral of the late Pope.

Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor said: “The Government of Zimbabwe appears to be conducting a sustained, systematic campaign of terror against its own citizens. I share the frustration of all people of good will at this violation of basic human dignity and of international law.

“It would be a gross injustice, at odds with Britain’s humanitarian traditions, to send back Zimbabwean refugees.

“At the very least, a moratorium on returns should be observed while the international community attempts to get to grips with a fast-deteriorating situation. I welcome indications today the Government is reviewing the question, and that for the time being no Zimbabweans are being sent home.”

Dr Williams described the Government’s decision to continue sending failed asylum-seekers back to unsafe countries as “deeply immoral”. He described the asylum system as “deeply unsatisfactory”.

The Anglican Consultative Council, the executive body of the worldwide Anglican Church, meeting in Nottingham, also noted “with profound sorrow and concern” developments in Zimbabwe and urged ministers to reconsider their policy.

An increasing number of prominent Labour figures, including Lord Kinnock of Bedwellty, the former party leader, urged the Prime Minister and Charles Clarke to rethink. Lord Kinnock said that it was better to allow a bogus asylum-seeker to stay than to risk sending people backto be persecuted.

The Home Secretary insisted that he will not agree a blanket ban on removals but has agreed to review the cases of many facing deportation.

A number of failed asylum-seekers held in detention have been given bail in the past 72 hours, including Lazarus Banda, whose home in Zimbabwe has been bullodozed in the latest crackdown. He was freed after two years but says that the Government has not lifted the deportation order “even though I will be killed if I return”. Those still held at removal centres around the UK said last night that they would continue their hunger strike.

Crespen Zulingi, one of the leaders of the week-long protest, told The Times: “We know that we will embarrass the Government if one of us dies during their G8 summit, but I am prepared to die rather than be sent back to be tortured.”

It is understood that seven Zimbabweans have been held in the last 48 hours. Immigration officials say that they were held before the apparent change of heart by the Government.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Dentention remains our policy where necessary. We use it only sparingly.”

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