Statement from Republican Prisoners, Portlaoise

national | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Saturday September 03, 2011 19:14 by RNU PRO - Republican Network for Unity (RNU)

A Chairde,

On 12th August, 2010 representatives of republican prisoners, respected intermediaries and prison management negotiated a workable and
common-sense agreement regarding the regime in Maghaberry Prison. It was hoped this negotiated agreement would resolve the long-standing confrontation between republican prisoners and prison management.

A Chairde,

On 12th August, 2010 representatives of republican prisoners, respected intermediaries and prison management negotiated a workable and
common-sense agreement regarding the regime in Maghaberry Prison. It was hoped this negotiated agreement would resolve the long-standing confrontation between republican prisoners and prison management.
However, no aspect of the negotiated agreement has been implemented and the situation inside Maghaberry has deteriorated even further. Tragically on the 30th anniversary of 1981 hunger-strike, republican prisoners are once again subject to inhumane internal body searches, physical beatings and an ongoing twenty-four hour lock down currently constitutes life on a republican wing in Maghaberry Prison.
In response to the situation in which they find themselves, republican prisoners in Maghaberry have embarked upon a dirty protest. We the republican prisoners in E2 Portlaoise Prison, would like to express our support for and solidarity with all protesting republican prisoners in Maghaberry Prison. We call for the urgent and immediate implementation of the August 2010 negotiated agreement.
We also urge people across the political spectrum to highlight the plight of republican prisoners in Maghaberry at this time and to lobby and protest to secure the implementation of the August 2010 negotiated agreement before the situation inside Maghaberry deteriorates any further.

Beir Bua,

Cogus/RNU Political Prisoners, Portlaoise.

Michael McDonald [ 54 ] 28 years
Tony Hyland [ 38 ] 25 years
Michael McKevitt [ 62 ] 20 years
Charles Anthony Deery [ 38 ] 10 years
Tarlach MacDomhnaill [ 27 ] 9 years
Cormac Fitzpatrick [ 25 ] 9 years
Gerard McGarrigle [ 42 ] 5 years
Gerard Carroll [ 21 ] 4 years
Darren Mooney [ 28 ] 3 years 6 months
Niall Farrell [ 34 ] Remand
Patrick Tierney [ 26 ] Remand
Patrick Gordon [ 22 ] Remand