Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, has asked people to remember the imprisoned Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa on international human rights day and called on the Government to do more to free him.

Deputy Crowe said:

“Ibrahim Halawa was detained and prisoned in Egypt when he was 17 years old and he will turn 20 in prison on the 13^th of December. He has been subject to human rights violations while in prison and is incarcerated in appalling conditions.

“His next trial date is on the 15^th of December, although the trial has already been postponed 9 times, and will likely be postponed again. He has been imprisoned for over 2 years and the mass trial he will be part of means he has no real hope of receiving a just conclusion to his case.

“This week I was extremely disappointed that the Labour and Fine Gael members of the Foreign Affairs Committee voted against inviting in Ibrahim’s legal team for formal meeting, so that we could publically hear from them about the legal issues in Ibrahim’s case.

“They also have specific requests for the Irish Government, who are clearly not doing enough to ensure that Ibrahim is freed and allowed return home to Dublin.

“Today is international human rights day and I am calling on the Government to ensure that they work in cooperation with Ibrahim’s legal to explore all legal opportunities and apply the upmost pressure on the Egyptian Government, at the highest level, to free this young Irish man.”

ENDS