Whiteline Border Protest in Support of Dessie O'Harea

national | rights, freedoms and repression | event notice Wednesday October 19, 2005 00:40 by Free Dessie O'Hare - Free Dessie O'Hare Campaign Dublinirsp at hotmail dot com

Members of the Free Dessie O’Hare Campaign will be holding a White-line
picket along the Derry-Donegal border at Bridgend this coming Saturday
22nd October at 3pm. The protest is part of a series of widespread
solidarity actions to highlight the continued unjust imprisonment of
Republican Socialist political prisoner Dessie O’Hare.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

17th October 2005

A spokesperson for the Free Dessie O’Hare Campaign in Derry stated:

“Back in 1988 Dessie was given a 40-year prison sentence for a number of
offences including the kidnapping. This sentence to date is one of the
longest in the history of the 26 counties of this island for any offence
other than capital murder.

“In late 2002 Dessie O’Hare was transferred from Portlaoise to the lower
security Castlerea Prison in Co. Roscommon, and put on a pre-release
programme. Over the past number of years, he has been freed on 15 to 20
temporary paroles as part of that programme. As it currently stands, the
Prison Service have basically washed their hands of him and the decision
as to when he gets released is up to Justice Minister, Michael McDowell.

“This Saturday, during a cross border white-line picket we will be calling
for Dessie to be released immediately, not because of the Good Friday
Agreement but because Dessie O’Hare is a political prisoner. Dessie O’Hare
is a qualifying prisoner who is eligible for release.

“We will be clearly stating that Minister McDowell must act now and free
Dessie O’Hare immediately from Castlerea Prison as Dessie's continued
imprisonment is completely unjust and it must be brought to an end now.

“We would like to call on all those interested in the issue of human
rights to turn up and show their support by attending Saturday afternoon’s
white-line picket. We will be joined on the day by members of the
national Free Dessie O’Hare Campaign based in Dublin.

“Everyone is welcome to come along and show their support for the Free
Dessie O’Hare Campaign which will be assembling on the Bridgend border
crossing on at 3pm sharp.”


STATEMENT ENDS

Free Dessie O'Hare Campaign