éirígí general secretary Breandán MacCionnaith has slammed the indifference of Six County justice minister David Ford to the plight of Maghaberry prisoner Brendan Lillis.
Following a meeting with Lillis’ partner, Roisin Lynch, yesterday [Wednesday], Ford again claimed there were no grounds for his release.
MacCionnaith said: “Brendan Lillis is a critically ill man interned in prison on the word of a British secretary of state – if David Ford can see no grounds for his release he is willfully blind.
“Brendan Lillis has already suffered enough at the hands of the British state. He spent 17 years in prison as a result of the conflict and has now been confined to a bed in a cramped prison cell for more than 600 days due to a crippling bone disease. He is in no way mobile, he cannot eat and he has failing eyesight. It is absurd for anyone to suggest this man is a threat to the public.”
MacCionnaith added: “Over the last few months, David Ford has proven beyond doubt that any commitment he claims towards human rights is a sham and a lie. Like many who went before him charged with implementing British injustice in Ireland, he is capable of acting only callously and ruthlessly.
“Every week that passes produces further evidence that the institutions at Stormont are incapable of delivering equality and human rights for nationalists and republicans. The case of Brendan Lillis is but the latest example.
“Brendan Lillis must not be allowed to die in jail. It is imperative that all those with an interest in human rights act now to increase the pressure on the Stormont regime.”
MacCionnaith said: “Brendan Lillis is a critically ill man interned in prison on the word of a British secretary of state – if David Ford can see no grounds for his release he is willfully blind.
“Brendan Lillis has already suffered enough at the hands of the British state. He spent 17 years in prison as a result of the conflict and has now been confined to a bed in a cramped prison cell for more than 600 days due to a crippling bone disease. He is in no way mobile, he cannot eat and he has failing eyesight. It is absurd for anyone to suggest this man is a threat to the public.”
MacCionnaith added: “Over the last few months, David Ford has proven beyond doubt that any commitment he claims towards human rights is a sham and a lie. Like many who went before him charged with implementing British injustice in Ireland, he is capable of acting only callously and ruthlessly.
“Every week that passes produces further evidence that the institutions at Stormont are incapable of delivering equality and human rights for nationalists and republicans. The case of Brendan Lillis is but the latest example.
“Brendan Lillis must not be allowed to die in jail. It is imperative that all those with an interest in human rights act now to increase the pressure on the Stormont regime.”
