Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The conditions in which we saw Ibrahim in prison were harrowing for anyone to face, let alone a young man who was not involved in anything. He only participated in a protest. For him to withstand that is impressive and a testament to him. It should serve to raise interest in Irish society on repression and the oppression that exists in Egypt under el-Sisi and to raise a wider interest in that.

I want to add my congratulations to those who drove the campaign. I agree with the remarks about everyone in the diplomatic service who we met there and congratulate them, the various public representatives and the different campaigning organisations. Above all the family and the sisters drove this and refused to give up. Many people have campaigned on small issues and given up after a month, two months or six months, but to fight on such an issue, to face an Egyptian state which seemed unmovable, to continue to fight and to raise the matter in every way possible, deserves full credit as does Ibrahim.

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