Bring him home – SUPPORT THE REPATRIATION OF MICHAEL CAMPBELL TO IRELAND

Posted by Jim on September 17, 2013

 

Four Irish TDs – Clare Daly, Eamon O Cuiv, Martin Ferris and Mick

Wallace – recently visited the prison MI5 sting victim Michael Campbell

is being held in in Lithuania, and were horrified by the conditions he

endures.

 

A campaign is underway to apply pressure on the 26 County Department of

Justice Alan Shatter and the Dept of Foreign Affairs, as well as the

Lithuanian authorities, for some resolution to this horror.

 

Campaigners for Michael have urged concerned people to sign a petition

on his behalf at http://chn.ge/VscyyT and tyo write letters on his

behalf.

 

“We were years in the silent dark now that chinks of light illuminate

this issue please don’t let that light go out. Ordinary people, the

Citizens of Ireland and many abroad with no flags or banners just the

surrounds of decency brought us here – lets go forward still.”

 

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TEXT OF PETITION/SUGGESTED LETTER

 

 

To:

 

Human Rights Supporters

 

BRING HIM HOME -Support the repatriation of Michael Campbell to Ireland

 

Michael Campbell has been held captive in the Lithuania prisons since

January 2008. As such he is the only Irish Republican Political Prisoner

being held in a foreign prison.

 

Despite being convicted and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in

October 2011, Michael continues to be held in the most horrific

conditions imaginable, thousands of miles from his home, wife and his

family.

 

Michael is not deemed eligible for repatriation to Ireland until all

legal affairs in Lithuania have been concluded. Each day that passes,

Michael’s human rights are violated as he is subjected to severely

overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. These are the same conditions Mr.

Justice Burgess highlighted in his decision to block the extradition of

Michael’s brother, Liam Campbell. Justice Burgess communicated that the

jail conditions in Lithuania presented a risk of inhuman and degrading

treatment. His decision was based on a published report by Professor Rod

Morgan, an independent expert in criminal justice and the former head of

Britain’s Youth Justice Board.

 

Professor Morgan’s report noted conditions in the Lithuanian prison to

be ‘totally unacceptable’, including cells in a poor state of repair and

filthy, little or no access to natural light, inadequate artificial

lighting, lack of ventilation, unhygienic toilets, inadequate drinking

water provision and absence of outdoor exercise facilities.

 

If the extradition of one Political Prisoner to Lithuania was blocked

due to the fact that such action would breach his right to freedom from

torture, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment under European

law, how is it then legally or morally acceptable for Michael to

continue to be imprisoned there?

 

The conditions of the jail in Lithuania are in violation of the human

rights standards and sanitation regulations due to overcrowding. The

conditions are in direct contravention of prisoners’ human rights. In

Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it clearly

states, “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or

degrading treatment or punishment”. These are basic rights all human are

entitled to.

 

Michael’s rights are not being recognized or upheld. International human

rights law lays down obligations which are bound to respect. There are

obligations and duties under international law to respect, to protect

and to fulfill human rights. The obligation to protect requires the

protection of individuals and groups against human rights abuses. The

obligation to respect means refraining from interfering with or

curtailing the enjoyment of human rights. The obligation to protect

requires the protection of individuals and groups against human rights

abuses. The obligation to fulfill the duties under the law includes

positive action to facilitate the enjoyment of basic human rights.

 

On 05 Dec 2011 the EU Prisoner Transfer Agreement was entered into force

to govern the transfer of prisoners between member states of the

European Union to ensure foreign national prisoners serve their

sentences in their own country. Why then has Michael not been returned

to his own country?

 

Given Michael has no voice of his own, it is on HIS behalf we, the

undersigned, beseech you to act without delay to uphold his human and

legal rights and petition to have him extradited to Ireland to serve out

his sentence.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

[Your name]

 

 

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Helpful addresses to support Michael

 

 

Department of the Taoiseach

Government Buildings

Upper Merrion Street

Dublin 2

Ireland

taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie

 

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

80 St. Stephen’s Green

Dublin 2

Ireland

tanaiste@dfa.ie

 

Department of Justice and Equality

94 St. Stephen’s Green

Dublin 2

Ireland

minister@justice.ie

 

The Irish Embassy in Lithunia:

Irish Embassy in Vilnius,

Lithuania

Gedimino pr. 1

01103 Vilnius

Lithuania

Telephone (+370) 5 2699460

Telefax (+370) 5 2699462

 

Lithuanian Embassy Dublin

LIETUVOS RESPUBLIKOS A

MBASADA AIRIJOJE

47 Ailesbury Road,

Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

IRELAND

Tel. +353 1 2035757

 

MICHAEL CAMPBELL

Pravieniskiu Pataisos

Namai-Atuiroji Kolonlja

2-oji Valdyba

Pvavieniskiu # 1x

Kaisiadoriu

LT-56552

Lithuania

 

LITHUANIAN PROSECUTOR.

Gedgaudas Norkunas

Prosecutor

Vilnius regional

prosecutor’s office

Rinktines str. 5a

09233 Vilnius

Lithuania