The ongoing detention of Lurgan man Martin Corey, imprisoned indefinitely without charge, is internment. Add to that, the impression that the British direct ruler Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, can seek to overrule one of the North of Ireland’s most senior judges, Mr Justice Tracey, the case has far-reaching ramifications.
Jailing a man fast approaching pensionable age without trial is only going to show that there is been no change from the establishment of Sinn Fein’s new Stormont and the creation of the GFA. If the 61-year-old has been involved in “the fight for freedom” then he should be charged and placed in front of a judge and jury, who then can decide his fate based on the evidence presented.
Mr Justice Tracey ordered this week that Corey be released on unconditional bail. His detention without being privy to ‘intelligence’ provided by the secretary of state to the Parole Commissioners was deemed unlawful as it prevented him mounting an adequate defence. This was overturned yesterday after lawyers for British direct ruler Patterson, were granted a stay on his release for at least two months.
As a former Irish republican prisoner Mr Corey served 19 years. With his tariff served it has to be accepted that he paid his ‘debt’ to society. We often hear criticism of undemocratic nations by British ministers, unlawful incarceration of civilians even used as justification for military action against Middle Eastern countries. Yet in 2012 a man has spent two years and three months behind bars not charged with any offence, not likely to be charged with any offence, with no release date and his defence denied access to secret ‘intelligence’ used as justification for his incarceration.
Internment failed the people in the North of Ireland in 1970s and to use it again at this juncture is political folly.
Yet more tax payers money will now be spent funding further legal challenge, if Paterson is so sure that Corey is a danger to the public then he should present the ‘intelligence’ file to the court let the evidence against him be made public so a judge and jury of his peers can decide this man’s fate in a democratic way.
Do otherwise is to continue the abuse of human rights; Rights, that Britain claimed to be ‘protecting’ when they went to war.
Statement from James Connolly Society Belfast.
The James Connolly Republican Society Belfast, Condemn the continued Internment of Irish Republicans Martin Corey, Marian Price, and the countless others, facing lengthy remand terms at the behest of theBritish Secretary of State and MI5.
Irish Republicans dared for one minute to think that, possibly there was justice to be had, as a Six County judge ordered the release of Martin Corey due to lack of Evidence produced.
But once again we have proof positive that just as with the elected NIO civil servants now administering British rule in the Occupied Six Counties, the real power lies in the hands of the British Government, as Owen Patterson ordered his police to rearrest Martin, completely disregarding the court ruling.
The PSNI/RUC also proving that they are answerable only to Westminster, Obliged and obeyed their British master.
The JCRSB demand the immediate release of all the Internees and call on those nationalist politicians to act immediately and make the same call that nationalist leaders made in the 1970s to the then Stormont Assembly.
END INTERNMENT NOW!
