boiler
11th February 2014, 14:32
Psychological torture : The denial of visits to Republican POWs in Port Laoise.
For a number of weeks the administration of Port Laoise Gaol have been using an explosive swab test to deny visits to Republican Prisoners from all landings. Visitors, including young children, are being swabbed "failing" the test and turned away. This has effected up to 20 POW's in the past 2-4 weeks.
Every second Saturday the Belfast partner of a CSME POW leaves her home at 5.30am. She takes a Bus from Belfast to Dublin and a Train from Dublin to Port Laoise for her visit. Visits commence at 10.30am.
The week previous she had been forced to wait until 11.20am before seeing her partner, the week prior to that she was initially refused entry because it was claimed she had failed a scanner test. On that occasion her partner refused to leave the visiting area and so the administration said that if the young woman removed items of her clothing she would be permitted into the visit.
On Saturday the young woman was granted a morning visit with her partner. Due to the expenditure and length of the journey and because it is a fortnight between visits the young woman waits in Port Laoise over lunchtime to avail of the afternoon visit which begins at 2.30pm.
On returning for the afternoon visit the young woman was swabbed as she had been in the morning but this time told traces of explosives were found. The visit was refused and despite her protesting and demanding to see the Governors and despite her partner confronting the administration with great anger the visit was denied.
The Gaol have attempted to claim traces of explosives "air born" have contaminated the visitor waiting area and so visitors are being contaminated by Port Laoise Prison. Even though the Gaol concedes it is them doing the contaminating they continue to punish visitors and POWs.
This is a myth, a fantasy. Visits are being denied as part of an escalating process by Port Laoise to downgrade Political Status.
Cumann Seain Mhic Eachaidh have been instructed by those we represent to make it as public as possible; we do not accept the prisons explanation and the action of attacking young mothers and the families of Republican Prisoners is only going to go one place and that is a place the Free State do not want to go.
Statement by Cumann Seain Mhic Eachaidh
https://www.facebook.com/sean.maceachaidh.5/posts/1422387911338230
For a number of weeks the administration of Port Laoise Gaol have been using an explosive swab test to deny visits to Republican Prisoners from all landings. Visitors, including young children, are being swabbed "failing" the test and turned away. This has effected up to 20 POW's in the past 2-4 weeks.
Every second Saturday the Belfast partner of a CSME POW leaves her home at 5.30am. She takes a Bus from Belfast to Dublin and a Train from Dublin to Port Laoise for her visit. Visits commence at 10.30am.
The week previous she had been forced to wait until 11.20am before seeing her partner, the week prior to that she was initially refused entry because it was claimed she had failed a scanner test. On that occasion her partner refused to leave the visiting area and so the administration said that if the young woman removed items of her clothing she would be permitted into the visit.
On Saturday the young woman was granted a morning visit with her partner. Due to the expenditure and length of the journey and because it is a fortnight between visits the young woman waits in Port Laoise over lunchtime to avail of the afternoon visit which begins at 2.30pm.
On returning for the afternoon visit the young woman was swabbed as she had been in the morning but this time told traces of explosives were found. The visit was refused and despite her protesting and demanding to see the Governors and despite her partner confronting the administration with great anger the visit was denied.
The Gaol have attempted to claim traces of explosives "air born" have contaminated the visitor waiting area and so visitors are being contaminated by Port Laoise Prison. Even though the Gaol concedes it is them doing the contaminating they continue to punish visitors and POWs.
This is a myth, a fantasy. Visits are being denied as part of an escalating process by Port Laoise to downgrade Political Status.
Cumann Seain Mhic Eachaidh have been instructed by those we represent to make it as public as possible; we do not accept the prisons explanation and the action of attacking young mothers and the families of Republican Prisoners is only going to go one place and that is a place the Free State do not want to go.
Statement by Cumann Seain Mhic Eachaidh
https://www.facebook.com/sean.maceachaidh.5/posts/1422387911338230