Zimbabwe: UN investigator sent to South Africa

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - The United Nations torture investigator says he was barred from Zimbabwe and sent back to South Africa after a night in the Harare airport.

An angry Manfred Nowak, speaking to reporters in Johannesburg Thursday upon arrival from Zimbabwe, said he would recommend the U.N. take action for the "serious diplomatic incident."

Nowak says he had a meeting with Zimbabwe's prime minister Thursday, and received word from other Zimbabwean officials that he should not come only after he had flown from Austria to South Africa en route to neighboring Zimbabwe.

Nowak flew to Zimbabwe Wednesday. He says when he arrived, airport immigration officials told him the foreign ministry had not cleared his meeting with the prime minister.