This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-34420823
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
US anti-abortionist Troy Newman loses Australia deportation fight | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
US anti-abortion campaigner Troy Newman is to be deported from Australia after losing a high court appeal. | |
Mr Newman was detained in Melbourne on Thursday after entering Australia without a visa. | |
Australia had cancelled his visa while he was still in the US on the grounds that his presence in the country could incite violence. | |
Mr Newman has previously called for the execution of abortion doctors and said women who have abortions are murderers. | |
On Friday, Justice Geoffrey Nettle in Melbourne ruled that the cancellation of Mr Newman's visa was justified, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. | |
While Mr Newman may have had a case to challenge the cancellation, he should not have boarded a plane to Australia without a visa, said the judge. | |
"Acting as he did means he does not come to this court with clean hands," he said. | |
Mr Newman, also known as Troy Newman-Mariotti, had been due to speak at events run by the group Right to Life Australia. | |
But he was prevented from boarding a connecting flight in the US city of Denver on Tuesday after Immigration Minister Peter Dutton cancelled his visa. | |
It came after it emerged he had called in a 2000 book for doctors who perform abortions to face execution . | |
His wife Mellissa had presented his appeal to the high court in Melbourne. | |
"I don't know what they're afraid of. I don't know what they think he's going to do here," she was quoted as saying earlier by ABC News. | |
'Pile of lies' | |
In a posting on Facebook ahead of his arrival in Melbourne, he said the decision to revoke his visa "was based on a pile of lies, including the idea that I promote violence". | |
"My 25-year history of peaceful, prayerful action speaks for itself," he said. | "My 25-year history of peaceful, prayerful action speaks for itself," he said. |
Earlier this week, Australian Labor MP Terri Butler wrote to Australia's Mr Dutton to ask that Mr Newman's visa be denied, calling him an "anti-choice extremist". | Earlier this week, Australian Labor MP Terri Butler wrote to Australia's Mr Dutton to ask that Mr Newman's visa be denied, calling him an "anti-choice extremist". |
But the website for Mr Newman's organisation, Operation Rescue, insisted that he "has never advocated violence and in fact, urges pro-life activists to work within the governmental and legal system to accomplish change". |
Previous version
1
Next version