Shocking prisoner neglect

international | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis

Thursday March 30, 2006 12:39

by Paul Doyle - The New Republican Forum: www.newrepublicanforum.ie

pauldoyle2006 at hotmail dot com

The New Republican Forum, PO Box 10, Dundalk Sorting Office, Dundalk, Co. Louth, Ireland.

0851048298

Irish prisioner Aiden Hulme has been subject to shocking medical neglect since his inprisonment in England and will loose his leg if immidiate action is not taken.

Sign the online petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/87bb92a/petition.html

Aiden Hulme (pictured right)

An online petition aimed at securing the repatriation of republican prisoner Aiden Hulme has just been launched by the New Republican Forum.

Aiden is currently serving a 22-year sentence in Full Sutton prison, England. He was imprisoned for alleged involvement in the 2000/2001 ‘Real’ IRA bombing campaign in London. He has lost his appeal against conviction and sentence and is currently awaiting repatriation to Portlaoise Prison in Ireland.

Prior to his arrest and imprisonment Aiden was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that left him with a severely injured leg. In the immediate aftermath of the accident he was receiving medical treatment at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast and his condition was improving at the time of his detention.

However, subsequent to his arrest and imprisonment in Britain’s notorious Belmarsh Special Secure Unit [SSU], Aiden’s medical condition began to deteriorate at an alarming rate.

In response to intense political pressure the Belmarsh authorities reluctantly acquired the services of a medical specialist and doctor to examine Aiden’s injured leg. After a brief examination the Belmarsh-appointed specialist informed him that the injured leg should be amputated. Aiden’s family and friends, disturbed by and suspicious of this opinion, immediately sought a second opinion.

After intensive and prolonged political lobbying by the Irish Political Status Committee and other human rights groups an independent specialist was permitted access to Belmarsh SSU to examine Aiden. After the examination the independent specialist deemed the limb “saveable” – contrary to the opinion of the prison-appointed specialist.

Not only is Aiden still being denied proper treatment but astonishingly, the Full Sutton prison authorities have decided to withdraw his pain-killing medication on a gradual basis. No alternative medication has been offered on the grounds that the pain in his leg is “purely psychological”.

The British authorities had transferred all the official documentation relating to Aiden’s repatriation bid to the Department of Justice in Dublin by September 2005 but the application has still not been processed. These delays are leaving Aiden at risk of having his injured leg amputated in England.

Here's the link in case anyone is interested in signing it:

http://www.petitiononline.com/87bb92a/petition.html

We plan to picket the department of Justice where the delay in Aiden's repatriation bid is occuring - during which we intend to present a printed version of the petition to department staff.

If anyone is interested in helping with this campaign, which has the support of several political and humanitarian organisations, contact me on:

pauldoyle2006@hotmail.com

Thanks,

Paul Doyle,

New Republican Forum.

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Comments (8 of 8)

HUMAN COMPASSION: A RIGHT NOT A PRIVILEGE

by DIANA ST JAMES - New York City

Sat Aug 19, 2006 20:22

nedflynn at aol dot com

QUEENS NEW YORK CITY

Regarding email from Mick and company regarding the inhumane treatment of Aiden Hulme while in prison. I think your lack of compassion and reason thereof must be addressed First off lets get some facts straight. The IRA is the only army in the world that calls in warnings in advance in order to eliminate even the most remote possibility of civilian casualty. Do we Americans do the same when it comes to the bombing of Iraq, Iran and Lebanon? DId we issue forth warnings to all the poor individuals murdered by US supported right wing death squads in Central America who went to great lengths to wipe out the best minds in El Salvaor, Nicaragua and Guatemala? Are we proud that all of our actions were done in the name of democracy? I think not. There is no excuse for the denial of medical neglect to any prisoner for any reason. In the case of Aiden Hulme and all the other remaining IRA prisoners, there is no reason for any of them to still be inhumanely lingering in an English jail. Those such as Mick who write with such discompassionate intensity should remember that anyone and I mean even the innocent can wind up behind bars at any given moment, even yourself Mick. I just hope if that is the case that you will never be subjected to the same cruel fate Aiden, Robert, Noel, Michael and Fintan continue to be subjected to, all in the disgraceful name of democracy.

100 mark

Fri Mar 31, 2006 15:50

The online petition has gone over the 100 mark. Not bad considering it's only been online two days. Thanks to everyone who has signed it.

He has applied

by Paul Doyle

Thu Mar 30, 2006 22:33

He has applied to be repatriated, quite a while ago I believe. The British Home Office had to be hounded into sending all the paperwork but SDLP leader Mark Durkan and others got involved and they eventually got their skates on. Now though, the Department of Justice are stalling - they've had all the relevant paperwork since last September - but haven't processed it yet.

As for the two lads who have decided that this is acceptable treatment - I've tried to deal with points raised, but you've obviously no interest in debating the issue. You're just sad idiot trolls with nothing better to do with your time than take humourless snipes on an internet message board.

by nerraw

Thu Mar 30, 2006 17:41

That poor man.

He tried to kill people, blow the limbs off the innocent and this is how he is treated? How dare they!

He had no problem been involved with a group who blew limbs of women and children and now he is whining that because he crashed his bike, we should all run out and sign a pointless internet petition?

I think that is what you call karma

repat

by dilseacht

Thu Mar 30, 2006 16:40

has he requested repatriation?, i thought we signed an agreement with other eu countries that made repatriation a right????

response

Thu Mar 30, 2006 14:12

So prisoner abuse and neglect is ok? What about Abu Ghraib? Do the genuine 'terrorists' deserve it?

Limb removal as a form of punishment is unaceptable. The authorities have no right to treat a human being like this.

Also, you should bear in mind the track-record of the British police with regard to Irish republicans. Bermingham 6 or the Guilford 4 ring any bells?

Ultimitely, if you think locking someone in a concrete box 24 hours a day while his limb rots off and doing nothing for him bar withdrawing his painkillers is acceptable behaviour, regardless of what he is or isn't in for or whether he's guilty or not guilty, you should seriously take a long look at yourself mate.

I have no sympathy whatsoever

by Mick

Thu Mar 30, 2006 13:21

The poor lamb? He's going to lose his leg huh?
I call that poetic justice for all the people who this maniac would have maimed or killed.

Further...

Thu Mar 30, 2006 13:03

Also, I've been trying to post this story onto the indymedia.org site but without any luck at all. I can't get passed the submit form. Anyone willing to give it a go??

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Shocking prisoner neglect

Comments (8 of 8)