Ireland News UpdateMonday 7 April 1997 |
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After several months of effort, a German lawyer, Elke Nill, has successfully obtained the right to represent the interests of Róisín McAliskey in the German courts. This will enable her to access the files of evidence which the German prosecuting authorities hold with regard to Róisín. This is potentially a significant development as up to now all attempts by Gareth Peirce, the solicitor representing Róisín in London, have consistently been ignored. Elke Nill has now sought access to the files which are held by the German prosecuting authorities in the city of Karlsruhe. It is believed the German authorities will still attempt to delay matters but they will not be able to do so in the long term. This will enable Elke Nill to examine the rest of the "evidence" against Róisín after the serious and damaging admission by their chief witness who told German TV ten days ago that he has never seen any pictures of Róisín. This despite the fact that the German prosecuting authorities are alleging he has identified her as one of the IRA unit that is believed to have rented accommodation from him and who subsequently took part in an IRA attack against a British army base in Osnabrück. Today (Monday, 7 April), lawyer Elke Nill is travelling to Karlsruhe to meet the Federal Prosecutor Her Morre and she will seek from him a decision to withdraw the arrest warrant until after Róisín has given birth to her baby.
We will be shortly posting an article written by Susan McKay in the Dublin- based newspaper The Sunday Tribune yesterday (6 April) which gives an up- to-date account of the state of the evidence against Róisín in Germany.
Visit the PFC Róisín Page orA petition calling for the release of Róisín McAliskey has
been
launched in
the USA. The petition has been drafted by the Róisín McAliskey
Justice Campaign
in San Francisco and the text of the petition has been approved for use by
Róisín mother Bernadette McAliskey.
The text of the petition reads as follows:
We, the undersigned, demand the immediate release by British authorities of Irish national Róisín McAliskey, daughter of world-renowned civil rights leader Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, on the most fundamental humanitarian grounds. Ms McAliskey, a twenty-five-year old women who is due to give birth to her first child in May, 1997, has serious health problems including traumatic asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, anaemia, and an ulcer, which put both her and her baby at risk. Since her incarceration in November of 1996, no credible evidence has been brought forward, and no formal charges have been made against her, yet she has been denied bail and any opportunity to defend herself.During the first months of her incarceration, she was denied the most basic medical and prenatal care, held in solitary confinement 23 hours per day, strip-searched an average of twice a day, and threatened with separation from her baby at the moment of birth. Only as a result of international protest and outcry, have British authorities recently eased some of these cruelties.
Human Rights Watch-Helsinki, the International League for Human Rights, and Amnesty International have protested Róisín's treatment.
We, the undersigned, hereby demand an immediate end to the physical and psychological torture and imprisonment of this young Irish woman.
Signatories are being asked to send the petition to:
Home Secretary,
Home Office,
Whitehall,
London SW2.
Fax: (+44)(0)171 273 2190
Copies should also be sent to:
Justice for Róisín McAliskey Group,
Unit 21.5,
Conway Mill,
Belfast BT13 2ED, Ireland.
You may also access the petition on
this website
Róisín Page
Visit the PFC
Róisín Page
or
Return to Contents List.
It is understood that a decision will be taken sometime this week over whether or not to sue UK Unionist member of the Northern Ireland Forum Conor Cruise O'Brien over his article in the Sunday Independent in which he claimed that those involved in the original Bloody Sunday march were members of Sinn Féin operating for the IRA. It is understood that a substantial financial donation has been made towards covering the costs of such a legal move. According to solicitor Pádraig Mac Dermott, who is also a member of the Bloody Sunday Trust, many of those who were involved in the original Bloody Sunday march which took place in January 1972 and during which 14 civilians were shot dead by British paratroopers, have been in touch with his office supporting the proposal to take legal action.
This week's Ireland News Update has been curtailed because of the Easter holidays. Apologies to our regular readers for a somewhat truncated News Update this week. We shall be returning to our usual comprehensive service this coming Sunday (13 April).
The Campaigns will also be moving to have Danny recategorised from exceptional risk to ordinary Category A. Danny has not seen family or friends for 2 1/2 years and has been held in highly restricted conditions within the HMP Full Sutton Special Secure Unit.
A Trial & Error Channel 4 TV programme detailing the many evidential discrepencies in Danny's case will be broadcast in the UK in May.
Visit PFC's
Danny McAnee Page
or
Return to Contents List.