Workers' Party condemn arrest of Sean Garland

WP vows to fight attempt to extradite Party President to United States

The Central Executive Commitee of the Workers' Party of Ireland condemns in the strongest terms the provocative and politically motivated arrest of Party President, Sean Garland, on the opening night of the party's annual delegate conference (Ard Fheis) in Belfast last night (Friday).

The Central Executive Committee of the Workers’ Party of Ireland condemns in the strongest terms the provocative and politically motivated arrest of Party President, Seán Garland, on the opening night of the party’s annual delegate conference in Belfast.

Seán Garland is a long-standing and respected member of the Workers’ Party who has consistently worked for peace and democracy in Northern Ireland and for the unity of the Irish working-class. He has opposed oppression throughout the world and, as a senior member of the Workers’ Party, he has been a vocal critic of the policies of the United States of America in its quest for global hegemony, most recently in opposition to the war on Iraq.

The request for the extradition of Seán Garland by the US government to a country which has a long record for the repression of socialists and progressives, both at home and abroad, and where no political opponent can expect a fair trial, is a blatant attempt to interfere in the affairs of a democratic political party and to intimidate those who oppose US imperial interests. The Workers’ Party makes clear that it will not be intimidated and that it shall oppose, by every means at its disposal, all attempts to extradite Seán Garland from his homeland to a US prison.

The Workers’ Party calls on all progressive forces in Ireland, Britain, and throughout the world - particularly those people who have worked closely with our Party in the past, to oppose this persecution of a political activist with a long history of selfless work for his Party and his class.

The Party has contacted the Departments of the Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs and numerous T.Ds, Senators and members of the European Parliament. The Party calls upon Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to immediately demand the release of Sean Garland as a respected Irish citizen.