Colombia 3 U-Turn Conviction

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Thursday December 16, 2004 22:33 by Mark Johnson

Despite being acquitted by Colombia's courts, political pressure has led to the conviction of three Irishmen. International observers are aghast at how contrived and insufficient evidence has led to this conviction.

Caitriona Ruane, Spokesperson for the Colombia Three Bring Then Home Campaign, speaking after news of the verdict against Martin McCauley, Jim Monaghan and Niall Connolly said:

"This is a huge blow to the families of these three men who never expected this decision. Coming in the mouth of Christmas it will be an especially difficult for the 8 children of the three men.

"Today's decision by the appeal court in Colombia is a miscarriage of justice of mammoth proportions. These three Irish men spent three years in prison before being found innocent by a court which examined all the evidence, or lack of evidence, against them.

"That decision has now been overturned in what can only be regarded as a political decision by the Colombian courts.

"I am calling on the Irish government, at the highest level, to intervene to defend the rights of Jim Monaghan, Martin McAuley and Niall Connolly. The
campaign to free the Colombia Three will now be intensified. We will be involving human rights and civil liberty groups across the world in a determined effort to expose the injustice done today and to secure the safe return of these three Irishmen."