Published: Fri, 01 July 2016
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Seán Kelly MEP has reiterated his call for the release of Ibrahim Halawa, an Irish citizen who is being held in an Egyptian jail.
Ibrahim Halawa, from South Dublin and who was born in Ireland to Egyptian parents, was arrested in Egypt in August 2013 following a protest in Cairo, aged 17 years old and now faces a mass trial. However, this week saw the fourteenth postponement of his trial, which has now been pushed back until October 2nd.
“Article 10 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights which considers that everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his/her rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him/her. Mr Halawa is being denied a right to a fair trial with 14 postponements to date. It is unfair and unjust and I call on the Egyptian authorities to free him.”
Mr Kelly previously tabled a European Parliament Resolution calling for Mr Halawa’s freedom last December, winning cross-party support for the motion which was adopted as a strong signal of EU support for the Irish citizen.
Many representations have also been made to date by the Irish government, led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan, to Egypt on this case, according to Mr Kelly.
