Republican Socialists Take to the Streets Demanding Freedom for Dessie O'Hare

From The Starry Plough
April 2002

TIME TO PLAY FAIR!

Dessie O'Hare is an INLA POW currently being held HOSTAGE in the top security Portlaoise prison in the 26 counties.

He was convicted in the non-jury Special Criminal Court of the 1987 kidnapping of Dublin dentist and multimillionaire John O'Grady. He was sentenced to 40 years.

He is a member of the INLA, whose ceasefire is recognised by both governments as complete. This allows for the release of all INLA prisoners whose actions occured before April 1998 under Strand Three of the Belfast agreement.

Dessie fits into all the criteria laid out in the agreement to be elegible for early release.

All his co-accused have been released under these exact circumstances.

The 26 county administration has come up with a number of excuses for keeping Dessie hostage, all of which don[base ']t stand up to scrutiny. This is a case of basic inequality and prejudice.

Even non-political criminal prisoners have been released under this agreement such as Kevin McAlorum who was convicted of possession of the weapon used to kill INLA Chief of Staff Gino Gallagher.

Kevin McAlorum was never a member of the INLA or any other republican grouping yet benefitted from early release because he was imprisoned under the same legislation that political prisoners are imprisoned under.

Finally, the Irish Government have already said that Dessie O'Hare should be released.

"Dessie O'Hare is a qualifying prisoner." The words of 26 county minister for "justice" John O'Donahue.

The IRSP and other groups interested in justice will be endeavouring to increase our efforts to get Dessie out. An election convention will soon decide if Dessie O'Hare should stand for election in the Dublin Central constituency of Bertie Ahern in a bid to further highlight this case of injustice.

Last update: 4/16/02; 7:04:08 AM.