Petroc Trelawny, 42, a regular presenter on Radio 3, was near the end of a performance at the Bulawayo Music Festival on Thursday when he was led off the stage by immigration officials, who said he did not have the necessary work permit. While being held in a crowded police cell he slipped and fell, dislocating his shoulder which required an operation to reset it. On Saturday he was recovering in hospital in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second city, but remained in official custody and was expected to face a court appearance on Monday.
Mr Trelawny is best known for presenting classical magazine programme Music Matters, Radio 3's evening topical drive-time show In Tune and Radio 3 Live in Concert. He has been to Zimbabwe several times before and has written critically about Mr Mugabe, its ageing and autocratic ruler. Rose Benton, co-ordinator of Zimbabwe Vigil, a human rights group, who learned of his arrest from relatives living in the country, said: "He was apparently the only musician without a work permit and that is why they arrested him," she said. "He has been in police custody in Harare: a pretty nasty business. "Yesterday there was a public holiday. Normally it would take a day to get him out but he will be in until Monday probably."
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