Republican News · Thursday 13 February 1997

[An Phoblacht]

Set Roisín free

A young Irishwoman who is seven months pregnant is lying without proper medical treatment, subject to daily strip-searches, and cut off from relatives and friends in the ``concrete tomb'' of high security in an English prison.

The woman is 25-year old remand prisoner Roisín McAliskey and her plight has caused such outrage that this week Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action demand on her case. This is only the second time Amnesty has issued such an Urgent Action in relation to Ireland.

Roisín McAliskey is in court in London today (Thursday) on extradition proceedings. Her extradition is sought by the German authorities who at every stage have opposed bail. On Wednesday 12 February members of the Roisín McAliskey Justice Campaign occupied the German Institute on Merrion Square, Dublin to demand that Germany stop opposing bail.

The Director of the Institute met the protesters and expressed sympathy for Roisín's case. The German Ambassador was visiting the building and said that he appreciated the peaceful nature of the protest and would be contacting Bonn regarding the case.

A spokesperson for the campaign, Cepta Hopkins, told An Phoblacht: ``Two governments - the Germans and the British - share the shame for Roisín's treatment. It must be stopped.''

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