Anger as republican prisoner subjected to scan punishment

A republican prisoner has been forced into a punishment block at Maghaberry jail after supposedly failing a body scan.

Jordan Devine was placed into the punishment block after what a prisoner support group described as a ‘fake narrative’ over an attempt to use a new body scanner.

The device was introduced as an alternative to strip-searching in the jail. However, The Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association have accused the prison regime of using the scanner as a “weapon” to target republican Prisoners “in a sickening display of bigotry and hatred”.

In February 2023, the body X-ray scanner was installed in Maghaberry jail in what was hoped was a progressive step to addressing the end of forced strip searching, often a violent and calculated humiliation of republicans.

The IRPWA say the Maghaberry regime is again pushing republicans “beyond a conflict free environment” with their use of the body scanner.

“We believe this stems from comments previously made by the security governor in Maghaberry stating to Republican Prisoners that the body scanner would not be doing away with, or replacing, strip searching,” they said.

“The facts are, these scans are open to interpretation by the screws who operate the body scanner, and not one item has been recovered from republican prisoners who failed the body scan previously.

“It is clear the MI5 controlled Maghaberry regime are using these scans to criminalise the Republican struggle. Like all previous attempts to criminalise Republican Prisoners, this attempt will also fail.”

Urgent Appeal