West Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féín Demand ‘Freedom For Pól Brennan!’

tyrone | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Wednesday November 12, 2008 16:26 by Saoirse - Ógra Shinn Féin osfnational at yahoo dot ie

On the day that 1983 Long Kesh Escapee Pól Brennan will go to court in the USA to fight for his release, West Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féin have sent a message of solidarity and called for his “immediate freedom so that he can fight his deportation freely and fairly.”

Pól Brennan has been imprisoned in US jails from January this year, because when he was stopped at a routine road block, his work permit had expired. Pól is not undocumented and has a work authorisation permit in the system since 2006, but he has neither received or been refused the permit.

What began as a simple bureaucratic misunderstanding was soon escalated by the US Homeland Security who has also activated a deportation order for Pól. This completely ignores a US court ruling in 2000 which allowed Pól hearings for political asylum which are still ongoing.

Chairperson of West Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féin, Barry McNally, said,

“We would like to extend our solidarity to Pól Brennan, his family and friends on what must be a very testing time for them, and we sincerely hope that all the campaigning work has been successful in securing his release so that he can spend Christmas at home with his loved ones. Ógra Shinn Féin has constantly called for Pól’s immediate freedom so that he can fight his deportation freely and fairly.”

“It is absolutely abhorrent that this denial of Pól’s basic freedom and civil liberties was allowed to escalate, Irish Republicans and Pól have constantly showed a determination to work proactively and advocate the merits of the Irish Peace Process, which has been endorsed by the US Government, yet they treat the very same people with contempt, and imprison them, this is deeply frustrating and must come to an end.”

Saor Pól Brennan Anois!

Strathroy 'The Roy' Estate, Omagh, County Tyrone