It is against this backdrop that a new Read the rest of this entry
Category Archives: Prisoners – current
Prisoners statement on Maghaberry prison regime
STATEMENT FROM REPUBLICAN PRISONERS, ROE 4 MAGHABERRY. 31/05/17
Over the past number of months Republican Prisoners have been consistently gathering Freedom of Information statistics regarding the regime in Republican Roe House.
This has been undertaken to dispense with the false claims by NIPS (Northern Ireland Prison Service) spokespeople and unionist politicians that the restrictions in place here are due to threats.
These statistics showed that in the 6-month period between 1st September 2016 and 1st March 2017 there were no alarms hit on the wing, whilst 621 alarms were activated in other areas of Maghaberry, including over 100 in certain houses. Despite this our regime remains among the most restrictive in Europe.
These statistics have been shown to all the relevant oversight bodies, groups and political parties, some of whom had previously stated that a period of calm would leave room to open discussions with the Jail Administration regarding increasing numbers out on the landings.
These statistics were further reinforced by media coverage of a tribunal involving two former governors which revealed that the restrictive closer of a stair grill on the wing was contrived by reactionaries, and NIPS lied to a Stormont committee regarding this.
Reactionaries in the Jail Administration have responded to all of this with increased restrictions on movement and a variety of punitive measures. They are determined to demonstrate that they will not abide by the August 2010 Agreement and their actions go unchallenged by the aforementioned parties.
It is clear to us that Maghaberry Jail remains a bastion of the Orange State which refuses to heed pragmatism for a reason.
Republican Prisoners
Roe 4
Maghaberry
31/05/2017
Republican POWs’ statement
Statement from Republican Prisoners, Roe 4, Maghaberry. 02/05/17
NEW AGREEMENT BETWEEN ROE 3 AND ROE 4 REPUBLICAN PRISONERS.
In 2014, Republican Prisoners announced that the Republican Prisoner communities within Roe House (Roe 3 and Roe 4) would be sharing several facilities on the wing. These facilities had previously been used separately to facilitate space for distinct prison communities; although it was agreed at that time that certain facilities would be shared. It was also agreed that the canteen and yards would remain subject to separate use.
Republican Prisoners Roe 4 are now pleased to announce that these facilities (including the canteen and yard) will now be shared by both Republican Prisoner communities as of 2nd May 2017.
This comes after discussion and agreement between both communities that the sharing of these facilities is both practical and beneficial for all. This also lays to waste recent claims by NIPS spokespersons that the ludicrously restrictive controlled movement policy was necessary due to tensions on the wing. This is of course nonsense.
This move represents a progressive development for Political Prisoners and highlights the emptiness of NIPS excuses for their reactionary policies.
We look forward to moving on with this new arrangement with mutual respect for the distinct communities on the wing.
Republican Prisoners
Roe 4
Maghaberry
02/05/17
Material in support of the new mass Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike
A couple of pieces on another blog that I’m involved in:
Support the POWs this Christmas
Sean Bresnahan, Chair of the Thomas Ashe Society in Omagh, calls on people around the world to support initiatives for prisoners and their families over the Christmas season.
Today, December 12th, is the International Day of Action for Political Prisoners. With that in mind, the Thomas Ashe Society extend solidarity to all political prisoners, worldwide, who share our understanding of the wrongs in this world and who face ongoing detention accordingly. We remember especially those here in our own country, in Maghaberry and Portlaoise, where the issue of political prisoners and their unjust treatment remains a blight on society.
We encourage the wider Irish public to better inform themselves of the situation in the prisons and to donate, where possible, to the various campaigns that seek to highlight this issue and to support the families of those impacted. To those families – most especially at this time of year: our thoughts are with you and we extend our full support over the Christmas period and beyond. To the prisoners themselves: your cause is a noble one and we commend your ongoing sacrifice. Know that there are still those who respect and recognise your endeavour.
The gaols of our country have for too long been filled with those who seek nothing more than the legitimate goal of an Independent Ireland, free from British rule. May that All-Ireland Republic, our shared objective, some day soon be won, bringing an end to the wretched phenomenon of the political prisoner in Ireland.
Sean Bresnahan
Chairman, Thomas Ashe Society Omagh
Statement from Republican Prisoners Roe 4 Maghaberry 26/07/16
Over recent weeks Republican Prisoners have noted increasing repression towards Republican Prisoners by the Jail Administration. During this time we have also witnessed the appointment of another Unionist Stormont Justice Minister, with DUP fundamentalists obtaining key positions also on the Justice Committee. Similarly, we have witnessed the appointment of a British Secretary of State with a background in security under a Thatcher style British Prime Minister.
Speech by RNU’s Paul Crawford at July 3 Newry anti-internment rally
“I’d like to begin by thanking the organisers of today’s picket for asking myself to represent the Republican Network for Unity and our POW’s department Cogus here this afternoon. It’s a privilege and an honour to address you all.
“The fact that we are here for the 3rd year in a row is evidence that Internment as a tactic to disrupt political activity is very much alive but also that our opposition to Internment is equally alive.
“In order to oppose Internment we must first understand what it is and what it is used for. In many ways the word has been over used and as such has lost much of its impact and meaning. There are those who would say that everyone incarcerated by the British or the Free State are interned. There are those who would state that while all internees are political prisoners, not all political prisoners are internees.
“For our purposes, however, it is enough to state that the original definition of internment is correct. Those who are detained without charge for the political expediency of the state. People like my comrade Tony Taylor, a perfect example of internment by the state to prevent and hamper legitimate political activity.
Tony, like Martin Corey before him, has been remanded in custody at the behest of the British secretary of state. No semblance of a trial, no pretence of a trial. Secret evidence that can’t be disclosed and won’t be disclosed because it doesn’t exist.
“We have miscarriages of justice like the cases of the Craigavon 2, men who have been deliberately framed on the word of informers and Walter Mittys. Set up by the dirty hand of the British security apparatus and practically ignored by the political elite despite a growing realization that these men are innocent across the board. Read the rest of this entry
Maghaberry prison administration steps up aggression
Statement by prisoners, July 1, 2016:
Yesterday the naked aggression of the Maghaberry administration toward republican political prisoners was once again exposed. The day of sinister events began at 11am when the notorious riot team raided three cells on Roe 3 occupied by Cogús republican prisoners. The three political prisoners concerned were not present in Roe House during this lockdown raid due to parole, court and visiting arrangements.
The day’s events then culminated during the evening lockup when once again the riot team entered Roe 3 and forcibly removed political prisoner and current internee Tony Taylor from Roe House and moved him to the jail’s punishment block – the SSU.
The prison administration and particularly security governor Brian Armour and Ciaran McGuinness over recent months have been overt in their attempts to fuel conflict through introducing red herring arguments to deflect possible resolutions to the main issues and systematically playing Machiavellian games.
Yesterday’s events can only be seen as a plan to further intensify tensions in Roe House. Cogús republican prisoners will not stand idle and let such antagonistic actions go unchallenged, though in contrast to the bigoted reactionary forces, we will meet their provocations in a disciplined and an organised manner, employing an intelligent and practical strategy to ensure our rights as political prisoners are won.
Cogús POWs
Roe 3, Maghaberry
1/7/16
Free Dónal Ó Coisdealbha, oppose internment
“Freedom for Donal” protest outside Leinster House, Thursday, May 12
Last Thursday (May 12) saw a protest outside Leinster House against what is, in effect, the internment of republican activist Dónal Ó Coisdealbha.
This case is particularly appalling since he will be tried by a non-jury court (the Special Criminal Court) where the three judges can accept secret evidence.
Although three TDs (Clare Daly, Maureen O’Sullivan and Mick Wallace) have offered to put up bail and Dónal has agreed to house arrest and electronic tagging, he has been denied bail.
It’s in the interests of everyone concerned with basic civil liberties to oppose what amounts to the internment of this young activist.
Belfast éirígí 1916 commemoration
Several hundred people attended éirígí’s annual Easter Rising commemoration in Belfast on Monday 28th March.
Led by a seven-person colour party and young people carrying portraits of the 1916 leaders, party members and supporters paraded along the Falls Road shortly after one o’clock to Milltown Cemetery where a commemorative ceremony was held at the original Republican Plot.
The proceedings were chaired by Sharon Pickering. In her introductory remarks, Sharon made special mention of Belfast-born Winifred Carney who, along with Julia Grenan and Elizabeth O’Farrell, remained with the GPO garrison throughout the entirety of Easter week.
She added, “We must remain focused on our enemies and confident in ourselves. The struggle requires a systematic approach, it requires efficiency, sustainability, and we must continuously challenge and question ourselves.
“Strategies need to be Read the rest of this entry
Free Tony Taylor!
Cathaoirleach éirígí Brian Leeson has called for the immediate release of Derry man Tony Taylor, who was re-imprisoned on the orders of the British Direct Ruler Theresa Villiers on Thursday (March 10).
Speaking from Dublin he said, “Tony Taylor is just the latest in a very long list of Irish republicans to find themselves interned without trial by the British state. It is simply unacceptable for a politician to have the power to summarily revoke an ex-prisoners license. That they can do so without publicly producing any evidence and that the accused is given no opportunity to challenge such ‘evidence’ exposes the true nature of the irreformable British ‘justice’ system in Ireland.
“Almost twenty years after the Good Friday Treaty why has a British politician, who has never received a single vote in Ireland, still got the power to arbitrarily Read the rest of this entry
