Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Fatima, (his sister) on Grafton Street to highlight Ibrahim's 1,000th day in prison Rollingnews.ie

Taoiseach calls Egyptian president to seek release of Ibrahim Halawa

The Dáil passed an all-party motion calling for the repatriation of the 20-year-old, who has spent over 1,000 days in prison

ENDA KENNY HAS raised the fate of Ibrahim Halawa with the president of Egypt.

The Dáil heard today that the Taoiseach  rang Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Monday to push for the release of Halawa.

The Dáil passed an all-party motion this afternoon calling for the release of the 20-year-old Irishman, who has spent over 1,000 days in prison in Egypt.

The motion, noted that Halawa has been detained “without due process” since his arrest in 2013 as a 17-year-old.

It called his detention “an unacceptable infringement of his basic human rights”.

In June his trial was postponed – for the 14th time – until 2 October, when he is likely to face a mass trial alongside 493 other defendants.

Halawa, from Firhouse in Dublin, was arrested by the Egyptian army in a Cairo mosque after allegedly taking part in a protest during the Muslim Brotherhood’s “day of rage” in August 2013.

Spain Egypt President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

He faces a possible death sentence.

Presidential decree

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan told the Dáil that Taoiseach Enda Kenny spoke to the president of Egypt on Monday and called on the Egyptian government to release Halawa under presidential decree 140.

“We will continue to work actively in support of these efforts,” he said.

In fact, the Taoiseach conveyed this message directly to Egyptian President el-Sisi on Monday last when he once again called him on the case.

It’s the third time the Taoiseach has spoke to President el-Sisi about Ibrahim Halawa, said Minister Flanagan:

In the course of that call, the Taoiseach set out, as we have done in previous contacts with the Egyptian authorities, the arguments for the immediate release of Ibrahim Halawa.

“The Egyptian President made it very clear that he understands that this is a significant matter of concern for the Irish Government.”

The Egyptian government insists it has no power to intervene in a case before the courts – but, Minister Flanagan added:

The President made clear to the Taoiseach that he wishes to see this matter resolved in the context of a positive bilateral relationship between our two countries.

Egyptian Ambassador Soha Gendi is due before the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee in the coming weeks to address the repeated delays in Halawa’s trial.

A parliamentary delegation will be established to visit Egypt’s parliament, and seek to visit Halawa.

Read: Ibrahim Halawa trial in Egypt delayed for 14th time in three years

Read: Ibrahim Halawa is back in jail as trial is delayed again

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
202 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bunny Johnson
    Favourite Bunny Johnson
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 3:44 PM

    At last a sensible solution. Thanks.

    156
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Shape
    Favourite The Shape
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 3:49 PM

    A lot of them were already free.

    123
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Burke
    Favourite Michael Burke
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 3:51 PM

    @The Shape: most of them

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ronan Fahy
    Favourite Ronan Fahy
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 3:43 PM

    Botanic gardens are already free

    110
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Aodhan Maguire
    Favourite Aodhan Maguire
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 4:06 PM

    mad how they charge you to look at your own stuff.

    LIke visiting the rock of cashel, forced to be a catholic to get into school and then charge 20 quid to go to mass.

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Shape
    Favourite The Shape
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 4:16 PM

    @Aodhan Maguire: Cashel will be half price anyway, and it’s always been free to locals.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute LD
    Favourite LD
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 4:58 PM

    @Aodhan Maguire: So would you be quite happy if everyone just visited all these sites without any limits and eventually leads to damage and for them to go into disrepair. If you do that’s fair enough, but don’t expect to have these sites available and maintained and then at the same time want them to be free.

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony O Neill
    Favourite Tony O Neill
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 5:28 PM

    If they could maybe throw in some nice weather

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Linda
    Favourite Linda
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 5:42 PM

    Trim castle grounds & Hill of Tara already free

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Grainnewhale
    Favourite Grainnewhale
    Report
    Jul 25th 2020, 12:26 AM

    @Linda: I paid an admission fee to Trim Castle year – I must have been had !

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
    Favourite Fiona Fitzgerald
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 6:39 PM

    This is the first I’ve heard that there was ever a charge to visit Dún Aonghusa. Is it not enough that people visiting have travelled to the island?

    Counting myself lucky that I saw it by following our patient guide: the dog from our B&B, whom we didn’t even have to tip ;-)

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Johnny Kenna
    Favourite Johnny Kenna
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 7:21 PM

    I’ve just been to Dún Aonghusa… Its already free, only seen an OPW umbrella when leaving.

    May need to Fact check @Journal.ie

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony McCoy O'Grady
    Favourite Tony McCoy O'Grady
    Report
    Jul 24th 2020, 4:45 PM

    “The OPW sites which will have fully fee admission are”

    Surely that ‘fee’ ought to be “free”!

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SC
    Favourite SC
    Report
    Jul 25th 2020, 1:43 PM

    Affordable accommodation in these places is the problem. We need more family friendly hostels. Once you have children it’s impossible to holiday here.

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds