Support Repatriation of Noel Maguire Irish Political Prisoner

national | crime and justice | other press Wednesday January 09, 2008 19:14 by Concerned Group for Republican Prisoners usmem at cgrp dot info

Irish government refuses to repatiate Irish Citizen Home

I wish through your media outlet to bring attention to a grave injustice being perpetrated against an Irish Citizen by his own government, Noel Maguire is seeking repatriation back to Ireland from an English jail to serve the remainder of his sentence in the country of his birth and to be closer to his family. The refusal by the Irish government in accepting Noel’s application seems to be stripping him of his Irish Citizenship and the civil rights that are associated with it.

Noel Maguire Irish Political Prisoner

Noel Maguire

Another Miscarriage of Justice by Corrupt British System

At Noels Trial the Evidence against him

The prosecution declared today that there was no direct evidence that any of the three defendants had planted a bomb

Cell site information showed Maguire’s phone had been in the area of a yard in north London where the taxi used in the BBC bomb was bought.

His thumbprints were subsequently discovered on one of the bank notes handed over for the cab.

Result

Noel Maguire was sentenced to 22 years on the flimsiest of evidence

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A knife attack on Noel last year by 2 inmates who have since been charged with attempted murder is an indication of the seriousness of the situation

Noel Maguire is the last remaining Irish political prisoner still incarcerated in an English jail.

All his co accused have been repatriated as was their rights as Irish Citizens

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Repatriation

The right to be repatriated to the country of your citizenship to serve a prison sentence on humanitarian grounds as lay down by the European Directive.

A report by British Irish Rights Watch Committee on the Administration of Justice Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas concluded:

“Prisoners denied a transfer is deprived of contact with their families and their home communities, lessening their chances of successful reintegration on their release. However, the people who suffer most from the failure to transfer prisoners are their families, who are prevented by the long distances involved, the cost of the journey,

And in some cases poor health, from visiting their relatives. Families visiting republican prisoners in England have sometimes arrived to find that their relative has been moved to another prison many miles away without their having been informed, a practice known as “ghosting”. Relatives have also been subjected to strip searches and been held under emergency laws when visiting their loved ones. The UK government has consistently put its own political agenda before any humanitarian consideration or any notion of respect for fundamental human rights where the transfer of prisoners is concerned”

Reasons Noel should be repatriated:

• He is an Irish citizen and holds a valid Irish Passport, issued in Dublin

• He easily qualifies for repatriation under the European directive,
which allows prisoners to be moved back to their own country to
serve their sentence closer to their family for purely humanitarian
reasons. He has not seen his children in 6 Years.

• There was an attempt to murder Noel last year in which he received
serious knife wounds. If left alone and isolated his life would be
constantly under threat!

• His physical and mental well being is in jeopardy if the Irish
Government refuses him the right to be brought home to serve his
sentence in an Irish Jail

Contact this email politicalstatus@aol.com or usmem@cgrp.info for more information

Writ a letter or send a card of support to Noel:

Noel Maguire
HMP Full Sutton
Stamford Bridge
York. Y041-IPS.

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Urgent Appeal

The CGRP call for the immediate repatriation of Noel Maguire.

At this time with so much going on in the Occupied 6 counties it is easy to forget the injustice being perpetrated against Noel and his family and we ask that people take a little time to remember Noels plight.

The claim used to turn Noels request down, the grounds that Noel has no close relatives in the twenty six counties; this is outrageous Noel holds an Irish passport is an Irish citizen and wishes to be brought home, it was always our belief that people living in the North of Ireland were able to hold Irish citizenship which should allow them the fundamental rights of an Irish citizen Noel is eligible for the transfer under EU legislation.

If Noel was moved from his English prison to any prison in the twenty six counties it would mean relatives and friends could visit him and the traveling and expenses would be more manageable. If he is kept in an English jail the traveling and expense would be a severe burden on Noel and his Family.

A report by British Irish Rights Watch Committee on the Administration of Justice Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas concluded:

“Prisoners denied a transfer is deprived of contact with their families and their home communities, lessening their chances of successful reintegration on their release. However, the people who suffer most from the failure to transfer prisoners are their families, who are prevented by the long distances involved, the cost of the journey,
And in some cases poor health, from visiting their relatives. Families visiting republican prisoners in England have sometimes arrived to find that their relative has been moved to another prison many miles away without their having been informed, a practice known as “ghosting”. Relatives have also been subjected to strip searches and been held under emergency laws when visiting their loved ones. The UK government has consistently put its own political agenda before any humanitarian consideration or any notion of respect for fundamental human rights where the transfer of prisoners is concerned”

Family of Noel has stated that Noel has close relatives living in the twenty six counties who are willing to visit him.

Noel is now the only Irish republican prisoner still in Britain, This is totally unacceptable and we call on all Republicans, Nationalists and fair minded people to contact the man ultimately responsible for Noels well being and who denied his first request to allow Noel to be transferred to an Irish prison.

The consequences of his refusal to allow this transfer would be to cruel to imagine for Noel and his family and friends.

He needs all our help!

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A cairde

We are urging everyone, friends, members and concerned individuals to assist in our efforts to continue the pressure on the 26 County Government to Repatriate Noel Maguire from England to jails in the 26 counties as is his right.

The names and addresses and sample letter is below so you can use the sample letter provided, reword it or write your own.

Write or e-mail:

Brian Lenihan

Minister for Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
94 St. Stephen's Green
Dublin 2
Phone: + 353 1 602-8202

Email : pagemaster@justice.ie

Constituency Office

Laurel Lodge Shopping Centre
Dublin 15
Phone: + 353 1 822-0970

Addresses to send letters to Contact in USA

EMBASSY OF IRELAND, WASHINGTON DC

ADDRESS:
Embassy of Ireland
2234 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008

TELEPHONE:
(202) 462 3939

FAX:
(202) 232 5993

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CONSULATE GENERAL, NEW YORK

ADDRESS:
Consulate General of Ireland
Ireland House
345 Park Avenue
17th Floor
New York NY 10154-0037

TELEPHONE:
General Information - (212) 319 2555

FAX:
Consulate : - (212) 980 9475

E- MAIL:
congenny@AOL.com

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CONSULATE GENERAL, CHICAGO
ADDRESS:
Consulate General of Ireland
400 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 911
Chicago, IL 60611

TELEPHONE:
(312) 337.1868

FAX:
(312) 337 1954

E- MAIL:
irishconsulate@sbcglobal.net

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CONSULATE GENERAL, SAN FRANCISCO

ADDRESS:
Consulate General of Ireland
100 Pine St., 33rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111

TELEPHONE:
(415) 392 4214

FAX:
(415) 392 0885

E- MAIL:
irishcgsf@earthlink.net

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CONSULATE GENERAL OF IRELAND, BOSTON

ADDRESS:
Consulate General of Ireland
535 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116

TELEPHONE:
(617) 267 9330

FAX:
(617) 267 6375

E- MAIL:
irlcons@aol.com

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Sample letter

Dear Sir

I write to you on behalf of the Noel Maguire as it concerns his repatriation back to Ireland from a British jail and your refusal to accept Noels application thus seemingly stripping him of his Irish Citizenship and the civil rights that are associated with it.

It is unconscionable that the Irish government continues to refuse to repatriate Noel. It is claimed that he has no close relatives living in the 26 counties, this is untrue as Noel's wife and their two children in fact live within an hour’s drive of Portlaoise Prison in Co Laois and are willing to visit him should he be repatriated. He also has two sisters and a brother in Ireland.

Noel Maguire - who is from Co Fermanagh but hold a valid 26 County passport more than qualifies for repatriation on the grounds of the European Directive as an Irish National.

His mental and physical health must be close to breaking point with the way he is being unfairly treated these continued delays which are tantamount to psychological torture.

On humanitarian grounds I ask that the decision to refuse repatriation be reconsidered and he can return home to serve his sentence and be closer to his family.

Please act now!

Thank you.

Is mise Le meas