Zimbabwe expels U.N. human rights officer

GENEVA (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has expelled a United Nations human rights official sent to the country ahead of a key presidential run-off election, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said on Wednesday.

The former Canadian Supreme Court judge told reporters that the expulsion was part of "a pattern of the Zimbabwe government taking a very uncooperative attitude" towards U.N. humanitarian agencies and international aid groups in recent weeks.

"We hope the government will rescind this decision," said Arbour, who has frequently angered the administration of President Robert Mugabe with her criticism of its rights record and treatment of political opponents.

Arbour, who steps down from the U.N. post at the end of this month, said the desk officer from her Geneva headquarters had entered Zimbabwe on Sunday and was expelled two days later.

She did not name the official, but said he was sent to work with other U.N. staff to help them assess human rights issues in advance of Zimbabwe's run-off vote on June 27.

Earlier this month Zimbabwe ordered all foreign aid groups, on whom U.N. agencies largely rely to distribute food and medicines, to halt work in the impoverished country.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Harare to change its position and allow the non-governmental groups to keep providing assistance to hungry and suffering Zimbabweans, but so far the government has not budged.

(Editing by Laura MacInnis)