Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group
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Justice for the Craigavon Two, John Mumia Abu Jamal Paul Wootton and Brendan McConville 27 November 2014 · speak. We know that the law has From Dennis Childs - Faculty Advi- less to do with any "harm" done to sor, Students Against Mass Incar- the widow of officer Daniel Faulk- Irish Republican Prisoners ceration (SAMI UCSD): ner, and everything to do with the Greetings Folks. socially healing power of Mumia's I know that we are all reeling from Black radical activism and theoriz- Support Group ing -- and the damage his words the modern Emmet Till scenario Newsletter No 3 March 2015 Suggested Donation 50p occurring in Missouri (and else- have done to the racial capitalist where with no media attention) mythologies that surround events PO Box 59188, London NW2 9LJ, [email protected] right now, but I wanted to pass on such as Mike Brown's legal lynching, info regarding a campaign that the the indefinite solitary confinement program PRISON RADIO is run- of the Angola 3, Leonard Peltier's The IRPSG is a group of comrades who cam- ning to raise funds to battle a new political imprisonment, and the paign for political status for Irish political pris- law passed by the state of Pennsyl- countless other domestic and global oners. We include those in political organiza- vania to silence the work of Mumia examples of injustice against which tions and campaigns like the Mumia Abu- Abu-Jamal and other prisoners. Mumia has brandished his voice and Jamal campaign and other individual anti- Under the auspices of the Prison pen. As importantly, this law that has set its sights on Mumia will imperialist activists. We campaign for political Radio Defense Fund, the campaign status for ALL Irish Republican political pris- is being waged to defeat PA Senate affect every prisoner in Pennsylva- nia and can be used as a precedent oners regardless of political affiliations. Our Bill 508 – signed by Pennsylvania pickets have been supported by many Republi- Governor Tom Corbett – which for similar police state laws through- prohibits prisoners and those for- out the country...if we let it! can and leftist organisations. merly incarcerated from speaking So even if you cannot donate any dollars to the fund. Please pass publicly. The law targets journalists, used inconclusive, contradictory and in places discredited. We non-profits and individuals who aid along this website upon which you STOP THE ABUSE OF IRISH believe that both men find themselves victims of a system that prisoners in communicating to the can see Angela Davis, Pam Africa, sought to find suitable scapegoats in the wake of the political outside world. Aya De Leon, and others speaking REPUBLICAN PRISONERS NOW! and media backlash following the killing.’ (of policeman) As you may have heard, this law on behalf of Mumia and all prison- round eighty Irish Republican prisoners still languish in ers whose words will be silenced if Britain and its compliant Northern Executive are using the came about after a recent com- British and Irish jails. Whilst Republican prisoners in we allow this heinous law to remain A prisons to try and break the spirit of Republicans. They are us- mencement address given by Mumia Portlaoise jail have recently expressed their concern at the dete- on the books. ing the courts to victimise and demonise political opponents. for a graduating class at Goddard riorating conditions they are being subject to, the inhumane PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD The Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group condemns and College in Vermont (Mumia's alma conditions in the British jails in the north of Ireland are by far support PRISON RADIO!!!! opposes this treatment as violating human rights. Many human mater). And, the law effectively the most shocking. FREE MUMIA AND ALL PO- rights groups including Amnesty have complained about strip signals the state's attempt at silenc- In 2010 after protests and disturbances at Maghaberry jail just ing Mumia and defining him as LITICAL PRISONERS!!! and searching and physical assaults of Republican prisoners. The outside Belfast, an agreement between prisoners and staff to end civilly dead rather than a person ABOLISH THE PRISON IN- IRPSG believe that Britain has no right to inflict this violence the degrading practice of strip searching and controlled move- with the Constitutional right to DUSTRIAL COMPLEX!!! on Irish prisoners. Indeed It has no right to run its prisons on ment was made. Republican prisoners believe that this agree- Irish soil. It has no right to be in Ireland. ment has not been implemented and that there has been a fail- Throughout the centuries’ long British presence in Ireland, the • Gavin Coyle. • Noel Callan ure to take a stocktake of the deal. POW List: 27/1/ E3: role of the prisons and courts have been central to British con- • Austin Creggan • Vincent Banks • Gerard Carroll At the beginning of February Republican prisoners were seri- 2015: ALL IRPWA: trol. The recent history of British occupation is no different. We • Desmond Hamill • Michael Barr • Niall Farrell ously assaulted in Roe House by prison staff. In a statement Maghaberry Prison • Tommy Hamill • Patrick Gordon have had Internment without trial, torture, non jury Diplock • James Brennan from Maghaberry Republican prisoners they refer to the prison’s Old Road • Martin McGilloway • Ciaran Burke • Tony Hyland Courts, shocking miscarriages of justice as in the Birmingham 6 ‘Riot Squad which continues to forcibly strip search Republican Ballinderry Upper ROE 3: Cabhair • Sean Connolly • Michael McDonald and Guildford 4, strip searching and systematic assault by prison • Dalton McKevitt prisoners’ and the injuries inflicted on Martin Kelly. Injured Lisburn • Ciaran Collins • Bernard Dempsey guards and state forces. We have had hunger strikes for political • Gabriel Mackle • Dean Evans • Michael McKevitt prisoners have been refused proper medical treatment and there BT28 2PT status where the lives of ten hunger strikers were callously sacri- • Eugene Mc Loone • Sean Farrell • Joe O’Brien has also been the denial of a number of legal visits, with solici- ROE 4: IRPWA • Patrick Tierney ficed by Thatcher. • Martin McLoone • Cormac Fitzpatrick tors deliberately lied to by the authorities stating that prisoners • Joe Barr • Willie Wong • Stephen Hendricks • John Troy, This edifice of repression is of course backed up by the PSNI had refused them. • Brian Cavlan ROE 3: Cogús • David Jordan • Paddy McDonagh, and the British Army. At the height of the resistance to the sec- • Jason Ceulman • David Gallagher, • Eamon Cassidy • Sharif Kelly In Hydebank Women’s prison there is an ongoing campaign • Martin Connolly • Garrett Mulley, tarian Orange state these state forces have notoriously used • Danny Doyle • Nick Kendall of harassment against Republican Christine Connor which has • Colin Duffy military repression including curfews, state collusion with Loyal- • Dermontt McFadden • Nick McBennett E2: Unaligned included denial of medical treatment since she refused to be • Dominic Dynes • Tommy McGuire • Jim McCormick • Colin Brady ist paramilitaries, selective assassinations as in the SAS ‘shoot to • Gareth Feeny strip searched and more recently curtailing her craftwork and • Ta Mc Willams • Edward McGrath • John McGreal kill’ policy as well as more indiscriminate slaughter as the Bloody • Harry Fitzsimons library rights. Christine has been placed on remand since last • Phil O’Donnell • Stephen McGowan E1: Unaligned Sunday and the Ballymurphy massacres testify to. • Damien Harkin • Tony Taylor • Brian Walsh (Cork) • John Daly August. • Neil Hegarty The prisoners’ opposition to British sectarian rule in the north E4: Teach na • Aiden Hulme Christine’s long term remand is not an isolated case. Stephen • Seamus (Scotchy) Hydebank Wood of Ireland is why they are inside. The IRPSG is dedicated to • Robert Hulme Murney was acquitted after 14 months in jail. I n t e r n - Kearney Hospital Road Fáilte • John Keogh defending their rights inside the prisons as we are to demanding • Sean Kelly INLA ment on remand is not so different to the notorious Internment BELFAST BT8 • Finton O’Farrell their release. • Nathan Hastings • Eugene Kelly North Circular North Circular without trial of 1971. The British government is deliberately 8NA, Female Re- • Declan Rafferty • Brendan McConville • Noel Mooney Road, Road, • Seán Ryan delaying trials knowing full well that many victims are innocent ● Stop the Strip Searching and Assaults! • Sean McConville publican Wing - Non-INLA E4 E1: Limerick Real Dublin 7. Dublin 7 of any ‘crimes’. It is a ruse to keep political opposition to British ● Implement the 2010 Agreement! • Alex McCrory Hydebank Prison: • Liam Grogan • Pat Barry Éirígí rule off the streets. • Anthony McDonnell • Sharon Rafferty Sinn Féin • Tarlach Mac Magilligan Prison • Ursula Shannon • Mark McGuigan • Nuala Gormley • Dean Fitzpatrick Even when ‘crimes’ are upheld in court this is often secured Dhomhnaill (101 POW; We assume • DD McLaughlin • Christine Connor • Stephen Fogarty Point Road, Magil- with dodgy evidence. The case of the Craigavon Two Brendan • Michael Mc Hugh the seven men acquit- • Seamus McLaughlin • Joseph Kirwin ligan Portlaoise Prison • Darren Mulholland ted by the Special Crim- McConville and John Paul Wootton is widely regarded as a bla- • Gerard Mac Manus • Buddy Nolan Dublin Road • David Murphy Co Derry BT49 inal (non-jury) Court in tant miscarriage of justice. A statement from the Newry/ • Brian Sheridan • Ken O’Reilly E2: Cogús 0LR Dublin of IRA member- S.Armagh Republican Prisoners Support Group states: • Kevin Vernon Portlaoise, Co • Charles Anthony Cabhair • Tony Friel ship on 13 March 2015 • John Paul Wootton Laois ‘We firmly believe that the case was corrupt and the ‘evidence’ Deery Mountjoy Prison Dóchas Centre, have been released.) Letters from Gavin Coyle and Michael Mckevitt to Michael Holden and the IRPSG he Glenanne Gang or Glenanne group T was a secret informal alliance of North- ern Irish loyalist extremists who carried out shooting and bombing attacks against Catho- lics/Irish nationalists in the 1970s, during the Troubles.