American pro-life activist Troy Newman is on the board of directors of the Center for Medical Progress, which is responsible for the series of 10 videos showing the Planned Parenthood abortion business selling aborted babies and their body parts. Last week, he was slated to head to Australia for a pro-life speaking tour at the invitation of a local pro-life group, but the Australian government would not him to remain in the country.

According to the pro-life group Operation Rescue, which Newman heads, the Australian government is relying on false allegations that Newman supports killing abortion practitioners as its reason for now allowing him to remain there for his speaking tour. Due to viciously false accusations brought by Australian pro-abortion activists and news media, Newman found out that his visa was revoked by the Australian government.

Upon arrival in Australia from the United States, Newman was arrested and detained in a “jail cell” while the Australian government went to work pushing papers to boot him from the country.

Late last week, Australia deported Newman the Australian High Court has ruled that the Ministry of Immigration was justified in withdrawing Troy Newman’s visa and has ordered him deported. Newman will also have to pay court costs.

Now, Newman has arrived back home in the United States.

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“I’ve been a political prisoner, locked in a jail cell for three days for the crime of being pro-life. One Member of Parliament, connected with the rapid abortion group Emily’s List, made false accusation against my character and was able to get my visa cancelled mid-flight,” Newman told LifeNews about his ordeal. “But my incarceration is a small price to pay in light of the death penalty each unborn child is given at the abortion clinics. I will not be deterred. We have appealed my case to the High Court, we will fight to the very end, the babies lives hang in the balance.”

“The fact is that the radical abortion supporters in Australia wanted to prevent me from spreading even a peaceful pro-life message that abortion clinics can close through peaceful activism using the legal tools available,” said Newman. “For a government to silence non-violent speech simply because some people disagree is contrary to the tenants of a free democracy. This is a dangerous precedent that does not bode well for the Australian people or anyone traveling there with a pro-life message. Freedom of speech in Australia is under attack, make no mistake.”

Australia Right to Life and their attorneys worked around the clock to restore Newman’s visa, but at a hearing held before the High Court in Melbourne, Newman’s deportation was ordered while his case is set to be heard in full next month.

Mary Collier of Australia Right to Life, which had invited Newman to Australia for a speaking tour, read the following statement at a press conference after the hearing:

The judge accepted there was a serious question to be tried about whether the decision to cancel Troy’s visa was valid, having regard for the implied freedom of political communication. However, the judge found that the balance of convenience did not favor the grant of interlocutory injunction to prevent his removal from Australia while that serious question is tried. On this basis, the application for an interlocutory injunction was refused. Any final determination of the matter will occur at some later date.

“I look forward to having my case heard in full and to being given an opportunity to clear my name and that of Operation Rescue from the completely false accusation that we support violence in any way,” Newman said.

“Is Australia going to now jail everyone who holds the theological position that ‘abortion is a most violent act of violence’ against a pre-born human being? I’m not sure Australia has the capacity to jail everyone who thinks that,” Newman said.

When the Australian authorities were finally ready to deport him, Newman was escorted onto a United flight in Melbourne bound for Los Angeles. He was the last person to board. His travel documents were held by the flight crew until he deplaned and was escorted off the plane where he was met by U.S. courtesy officials who sped him through customs and to freedom.

Meanwhile, Australia allowed into the country a radical Islamist group that advocates “death penalty for homosexuals and apostates, promoted terrorism and preached hatred of Jews and Christians and violence against women.”

This made Newman’s visa cancellation, detention, and deportation appear to be an act of censorship of pro-life speech.

Newman vows to one day return to Australia and share his message of peaceful, legal activism to close abortion clinics and end abortion with the Australian people.

“On behalf of my wife, Mellissa, and myself, I would like to thank those who supported us throughout this ordeal. We are aware that many people worked around the clock both in Australia and the U.S. to right this wrong. We especially appreciate Australia Right to Life for their loving care of Mellissa while I was detained,” Newman said. “As General Douglas McArthur once said, ‘I shall return.’”