Republicans demand release of all Political Prisoners

international | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Friday March 19, 2010 13:20 by Republican Sinn Féin Europe - Republican Sinn Féin irish-solidarity at gmx dot net Teach Dáithí Ó Conaill, 223 Sráid Pharnell, BÁC 1

Statement on International Day for Political Prisoners

Dieter Blumenfeld, spokesperson of the Republican Sinn Féin International Relations Bureau, called for the release of all political prisoners. The 18th of March is marked as the International Day for Political Prisoners.

In 1922, the international association for political prisoners Red Aid appointed the March 18th as the day in remembrance of political prisoners and those who suffer under state repression. Since then political prisoners all over the world are commemorated on this day.

Blumenfeld said: “Worldwide hundreds of thousands of people are imprisoned for their political activity. Dozens of Irish POW’s are incarcerated in gaols in the Irish Freestate, the Occupied Counties and even as far as Lithuania.”

“Countless people are imprisoned for their political work in Turkey, Palestine, the Basque Country or Sri Lanka. They are all in gaols because of the same reason: They stood up against oppression, colonialism and imperialism.”

“Let us remember the Irish republican POW as well as all political prisoners worldwide on the International Day for Political Prisoners. The British and US imperialism might call them ‘criminals’. The criminals are those who keep people behind bars for their political beliefs.” Blumenfeld said.

Críoch/Ends.