Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Everyone is glad that the Irish Government had a representative at the so-called trial. Does the Government recognise that there cannot be a fair trial in Egypt at the moment? I ask the Minister of State to address that in his supplementary reply. If the Government believes there is any possibility of a fair trial, which is suggested in the response, that would be very dangerous.

In regard to the Minister of State's claim that reports of torture were unfounded, we have to take what Ibrahim and his mother, who has visited him, have said. I do not know why the Minister of State is making that claim but he has said it in the Official Report, and therefore it is quite serious. The Reprieve organisation in Britain, which follows up the cases of prisoners, said that Wadi el-Natrun is known as the torture prison in Egypt by activists and prisoners. Many deaths have occurred as a result of people being in it. Amnesty International, which is well-respected, has said his life is in danger.

The Minister of State is suggesting that there is an over-the-top reaction. This young boy was 17 years of age, a child in legal terms in our country. In case there is any suspicion of anything, for people from Egypt to go back there to visit and then participate in a protest is absolutely and utterly natural. It would be like people from Ireland returning to Ireland and going on a water charges protest or any other political development which was taking place in a country.

There is no proof or suggestion anywhere that there was any wrongdoing or violence involved. Therefore, he should not be in prison. Will the Minister of State ensure the presidential decree that was submitted and used to get the release of other high-profile prisoners of other nationalities is obtained? Other governments got it via this route. Why is the Irish Government taking a different route?

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