Grace Mugabe said protected by immunity

HONG KONG, March 22 (UPI) -- Chinese officials say Zimbabwe first lady Grace Mugabe is immune from prosecution in Hong Kong, where a British newspaper claims she attacked its photographer.

The Sunday Times of London said the Chinese Department of Justice issued a statement declaring Grace Mugabe, wife of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, enjoys diplomatic immunity in Hong Kong, whose legal system is separate from that of China.

Sunday Times photographer Richard Jones claimed Grace Mugabe, 43, punched him in the face Jan. 15 when he tried to take her picture near the luxury hotel where she was staying in the heart of the city.

The encounter left Jones with bruises and cuts where Mugabe's diamond ring allegedly hit his face, the newspaper said, adding Jones was working on a report about Mugabe's "extravagant" Far Eastern holiday as Zimbabwe suffered from a cholera epidemic that has claimed more than 4,000 lives.

"Diplomatic immunity should not be a shield for unacceptable and illegal behavior," said Michael Sheridan, Far East correspondent for The Sunday Times.