Written answers

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Irish Prisoners Abroad

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

385. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Egyptian authorities misled officials in the Irish Embassy in Cairo on the whereabouts of a person (details supplied) who is imprisoned there without trial for nearly three years; if the person was transferred between prisons in recent days without the knowledge of his family and Irish Embassy staff in Cairo; if he will challenge the Egyptian Government over this issue and the continued appalling treatment of this person; when will Irish Embassy officials next meet the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7585/16]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The case of this individual, who has been detained in Egypt for almost three years, continues to be of the highest priority for the Government and for my Department. We are providing ongoing consular assistance to the individual including through regular prison visits and the monitoring of all trial hearings. I can confirm that the citizen was transferred between prisons last week without the prior knowledge of the Irish Embassy in Cairo or his family. On learning that the citizen’s family had concerns about his whereabouts, officials from my Department immediately made contact with the Egyptian authorities, both in Dublin and in Cairo, to register our concern and to seek to establish the facts. After some temporary confusion on 12 April, my officials were able to confirm his place of detention. The Egyptian authorities have advised that there are security issues pertaining to prisoner moves, and prison authorities do not release advance information on such moves in order not to prejudice the safety of both prisoners and security personnel.

I met with the Ambassador of Egypt, Ms Soha Gendi, on Thursday 14 April. During our meeting I once again underlined to her the Government’s concerns about the welfare of this Irish citizen.

On Sunday, 17 April, our Ambassador in Egypt, Mr Damien Cole, accompanied by officials from the Embassy, visited the detained Irish citizen in the prison near Cairo, and had the opportunity for a discussion on the full range of consular issues arising in the case. This was the latest in a very regular and frequent series of such meetings. The Government, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is continuing to work through all diplomatic and political channels to achieve our objective of seeing this citizen returned to Ireland as soon as possible.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.