Solidarity to the political prisoners in struggle at Maghaberry prison

FROM CARC PARTY - ITALY

We express our solidarity to the political prisoners in struggle at Maghaberry prison, in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. The prisoners are in struggle for three weeks now, since their detention conditions have been severely aggravated.

Prisoners are locked in their cells 23 hours a day, they are stripped searched every time they leave their cells, access to the phone is being restricted, they have to eat their meals in their cells. After one of the prisoners had been moved to the Punishment Block, and due to the brutality of the warders, the other prisoners wrecked their cells as a protest. As a result, they no longer have access to running water and sanitation facilities. One day, after they had left their cells for the single permitted hour, a liquid was thrown over their beds, so they had to sleep on the floor. The prisoner in punishment has been refused access to all visits, to the phone, and to the showers. These are just some examples of the daily brutality that is practiced at Maghaberry.

The prisoners ask the end to degrading stripped searching and ask for the right to free association.

We call everyone to send letters and faxes on behalf of political prisoners at Maghaberry prison, at the following address.

Maghaberry Prison
Old Road
Ballinderry Upper
LISBURN
BT28 2PT
Fax: 0044 28 9261 9516

From Eirigi

éirígí general secretary Breandán Mac Cionnaith said: “The brutalisation of the republican prisoners in Maghaberry has clearly touched a nerve among nationalist communities in the Six Counties. Many people remember only too well the treatment meted out to POWs in the 1970s and early ’80s and they are not prepared to allow this situation take the same sad route.

“At this moment, people should put their political opinions to one side and mobilise for the restoration of political status. This is the only way this situation can be resolved.”