Tomorrow a cross-party parliamentary delegation, initiated by Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett, will visit Irish citizen, Daniel Tatlow-Devally in prison in Ulm and will attend their trial on Wednesday in Stuttgart.
Daniel and 4 other Palestine activists took part in a direct action at Elbit Systems in Ulm, Germany in September last year. Elbit Systems Germany is a 100% owned subsidiary of Elbit Israel, responsible for over 80% of the weapons used in the Gaza land war.
The “Ulm 5” engaged in an act of civil disobedience against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. There was no threat to anyone at any stage in their protest. They did not conceal their faces and sat calmly awaiting the arrival of the police.
Daniel has been detained in effective solitary confinement since September and is being tried under legislation and in conditions normally reserved for terrorism and organised crime.
Daniel and the Ulm 5 and their families and supporters believe they are not receiving a fair trial. They are deeply concerned that no recording or transcript of the proceedings of the trial is being taken and that the Irish government has not yet sent any observer to the trial, despite repeated requests.
The Genocide Convention is an international treaty that criminalises genocide and obligates state parties to pursue the enforcement of its prohibition. Both Ireland and Germany are parties to the Convention. The protestors were motivated by their conviction that providing weapons to Israel was in breach of the Genocide Convention.
The cross-party delegation is People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett, Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan, Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger TD, Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell, Labour Party TD Duncan Smith, Social Democrats Senator Patricia Stephenson, and Fine Gael TD Barry Ward.
Tomorrow, Richard Boyd Barrett, Mairéad Farrell and Barry Ward will visit Daniel in prison where the Ulm 5 are being held in inhumane conditions and effective solitary confinement. The full cross-party delegation will attend the trial early on Wednesday morning in Stuttgart.
The primary purpose of this delegation is to provide independent trial observation in the absence of any trial observation from the Irish consulate or Department of Foreign Affairs. The delegation is calling on the Irish government to send observers to the hearings, which are set to continue until January of next year while all the defendants remain in high security prisons.
Richard Boyd Barrett TD said:
“Daniel Tatlow Devally’s family lives in my constituency and on several occasions, on behalf of Daniel's family, I have raised grave concerns with the government about the treatment of Daniel and unfair trial proceedings, and urged them to send observers to the trial. Despite the repeated pleas, the government has refused to send observers to the trial.
“Because of the inaction of the Irish government, I initiated a cross-party group to attend the trial of Daniel and the Ulm 5, and I’m pleased that such a strong cross party delegation is travelling to Germany this week.
“The visit is intended to highlight what is happening in Germany. All accounts about the nature of the prosecution, of their treatment and of the trial proceedings suggest that Daniel and the Ulm 5 are not getting a fair trial
“The cross-party delegation is now trying to do what the government should be doing, by going to observe what is happening. We hope this will prompt the government to urgently send observers to the rest of the trial and put pressure on the German authorities to ensure the rights of the defendants to a fair trial are upheld.
“It is outrageous that the Ulm 5 are being held in inhumane conditions, and tried under laws and in a manner normally reserved for terrorists and organised criminals. They were protesting against a company in Germany producing weapons used by Israel to prosecute what the Irish government itself has said is a genocidal and illegal campaign against Gaza and the Palestinian people. They did not hide that they engaged in an act of civil disobedience. They were no threat to anyone at any point in their action against Elbit Systems.
“This is a prolonged trial that is scheduled to continue until January next year. The Irish government urgently needs to send observers to protect the rights of an Irish citizen, and the basic right to a fair trial.”
