Protests demand an end to internment

A protest against internment in the north of Ireland is to take place in Dublin on Saturday in the latest such demonstration against the detention of Irish republican political activists.

Deirdre O’Shea of the Dublin Anti-Internment Committee urged the 26-County government to acknowledge the human rights of its interned citizens north of the Border and to take up their cases.

Ms O’Shea said Marian Price was held for two years, mainly in solitary confinement, for two years and only released on bail in May 2013 because she was extremely ill.

“Other prisoners are being held at the British Secretary of State’s Pleasure, without being given a release date,” she said.

“For justice, for human rights and for our self-preservation, we need to oppose this back-door internment,” she said.

The march will leave the Central Bank Plaza, Dame Street at 2.30 pm. with a rally at the GPO in O’Connell Street. Among the speakers will be independent councillor Cieran Perry, solicitor Malachy Steenson and Cait Trainor of the Martin Corey Campaign.

Internment without trial has been used by governments in Ireland on both sides of the Border in the past number of decades. The last time was in 1971 in the Six Counties, and by 1975 when it ended, 1,981 people had been interned.

Britain was ultimately found guilty in the European Court of Human rights of “inhumane and degrading treatment” towards internees.

Among those currently being held are 63-year-old veteran activist Martin Corey, eirigi spokesperson Stephen Murney, as well as lesser known internees such as Gerard McManus and DD McLaughlin.

BELFAST PROTESTS

A recent protest by éirígí in Belfast saw members of Stephen Murney’s family participate in a large white line picket along the Falls Road on the issue of the use of ‘internment by remand’ -- indefinite detention pending potential trial.

eirigi said the practice was again being used to imprison republican activists on the basis of “trumped-up and spurious charges” with little or no evidence to substantiate such charges.

“The judicial, prosecution, policing and political systems all willingly collude in supporting this unjust practice,” they said.

“Stephen Murney is but one victim of this legalised and increasing practice of collusion by, and between, state agencies to remove political opponents.”

Stephen’s case was not unique, they said.

“Other cases have seen persons being held for periods of up to three years only to be eventually released with the charges dismissed.”

The Falls Road protest followed a similar rally last month on the Stewartstown Road. Despite atrocious weather conditions, both were described as a success.

éirígí spokesperson Máire Drumm said the “vindictive” policy of selective internment had removed Stephen from his family and his community for almost a year now.

“This insidious and unjust practice could, tomorrow, be directed against any political activist, republican or otherwise,” she added.

“We will continue to highlight such abuses and injustices within this so-called reformed state at every opportunity.”

Online petitions are continuing in an attempt to apply enough pressure on the British government to release Martin Corey and Stephen Murney: The petitions are located at:

https://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/freemartincorey

and

https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/free-stephen-murney

Urgent Appeal