WELLINGTON - Australian immigration officials have refused Aaron Cohen a visa, forcing him to cancel a visit to promote a book about his life.
Cohen, who was caned and spent 11 years in a Malaysian jail for heroin possession, planned to spend five days in Australia promoting Arrested Development.
Three days before
he was due to travel, the Australian Consulate-General in Auckland told him his application for a temporary business visa had been refused.
The six-page consulate decision dated April 14 and signed by an official, Elizabeth Hoffmann, ends bluntly.
"Mr Cohen does not pass the character test and is refused the grant of a visa."
The consulate said the refusal was based on Cohen's "substantial criminal record." That record, based on information supplied by New Zealand police, was "trafficking dangerous drugs" in 1987 and convictions on four cannabis charges last March 1.
Under Australia's Migration Act 1958, a sentence of life imprisonment constitutes a substantial criminal record.
Arrested Development author Paul Little said Cohen had, in fact, been convicted of heroin possession, not trafficking.
"It's simply sad that after 11 years [in jail] and a caning for his one previous conviction, and three years of being extremely straight and low-key, that one very minor conviction has been able to prevent him going to the country where he grew up, to set the record straight about his life," Little said.
In March, Cohen escaped penalty on drugs charges when he pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis, cultivating cannabis, possessing a pipe and possessing a utensil.
He was ordered to come up for sentence within six months if called.
On another charge of possessing a controlled drug, he was remanded without plea.
On two charges of presenting a pistol at police, Cohen was remanded for a defended hearing.
Judge Jim O'Donovan told Cohen that if he did not appear on any other cannabis charges, the offences to which he had pleaded guilty would go no further.
- NZPA
