Fermanagh petition
Fermanagh Saoirse is launching a new petition calling
for the immediate transfer and repatriation of Irish
POWs in English jails. The petition is accompanied by
letters which can be forwarded to Jack Straw and Tony
Blair also calling for repatriation.
The new campaign will highlight the conditions of all
Irish political prisoners held in jails in England,
Ireland and the USA. ``The POWs are a product of the
conflict'', said Saoirse spokesperson Frances McHugh who
pointed out that of over 350 people killed by British
crown forces in the Six Counties, ``very few of the
killers have seen the inside of a prison cell. Those
who were convicted were transferred to England and
released within two years. The precedent was set with
Ian Thain and Lee Clegg, and now there is support for
the murderers of young Peter McBride to be released
early''.
British Home Office policy is to house prisoners as
close to their families as possible, and the European
Standing Commission on Human Rights has stated that
``general refusal to transfer prisoners may constitute
unwarranted interference with family life in
contravention of Article 8 of its Convention on Human
Rights. In fact Britain and Ireland are both
signatories to the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Act
and are legally obliged to return Republican POWs in
English jails home.
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