On the Struggle of the Irish Republican Prisoners
Featured image: Irish activists protest against the torture on Irish republican prisoners. Source: IRPWA.
Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association (IRPWA) has recently reported on assaults carried out against republican prisoners in Maghaberry Prison, and the consequent resistance spurned by these attacks within and outside of prison.
IRPWA reported on October 23rd, that two republican prisoners, Shea Reynolds and Gavin Coyle, “were forcibly and brutally dragged” and were subjected to a strip search, and placed on Rule 32, a placement in a ‘safer’ cell, because of alleged ‘risk’. They will remain pending a review after 72 hours. Both men have sustained direct injuries as a result of the assault, IRPWA reports.
As a response to these assaults, republican prisoners refused to lock up the following night, in protest of the continued mistreatment and abuse within the Maghaberry Prison. In response to this peaceful act of resistance the Prison Officers mobilized over 100 Prison Officers in full riot gear to suppress the protests, IRPWA reports.
Maghaberry Prison is located in occupied Ireland and the IRPWA defines it as “one of the bastions of Mi5 control”, the intelligence agency of England.
IRPWA goes on to denounce the attacks, commenting on the political purpose of the attacks and urge all those who value human rights to stand in solidarity with the republican prisoners:
“These events are not isolated incidents but part of a pattern of systematic mistreatment faced by Republican Prisoners. Prisoners continue to endure harsh and degrading conditions, including prolonged isolation, invasive strip searches, restricted movement, and the constant threat of physical intimidation. Such actions represent a deliberate attempt to break the morale and dignity of those imprisoned on political grounds, in clear violation of fundamental human rights and international standards of prisoner welfare.
The IRPWA therefore urge all those who value human rights to stand in solidarity with Republican Prisoners. Your support is essential in sending a clear and united message that the continued abuse of Republican Prisoners will not go unchallenged. It is only through collective action and public pressure that meaningful change can be achieved.”
IRPWA has reported on several solidarity actions, protesting the abuse of republican prisoners. IRPWA writes: “IRPWA activists and supporters took to the streets across Belfast, Lurgan, Newry, Omagh, Dungannon, Cookstown, Derry City, North Derry, North Antrim/South Derry and Dublin, while Republican Prisoners held in Portlaoise as well activists and supporters in Scotland, Italy, Sweden, the Basque Country and Portugal also joined the day of events with acts of solidarity.”
The demonstrators erected boards and posters, and as IRPWA reports, came under surveillance by the occupying repressive forces, who subsequently removed the boards and posters that had been erected.
IRPWA also posted a video documenting the International Day of Solidarity with the Republican Prisoners:
We at The Red Herald have previously reported on the abuses faced by republican prisoners and actions in solidarity with them:
