Independent legal observers must be sent to Ulm 5 trial – Labour
Independent legal observers must be sent to Ulm 5 trial - Labour - The Labour Party
Labour Party spokesperson on Foreign Affairs Deputy Duncan Smith has reiterated his call to Government to send independent legal observers to the Ulm 5 trial in Germany.
Parliamentarians who attended the trial as observers this week will host a press conference tomorrow (Thursday, 23rd July) at 11:45am in Buswells to provide a first hand account of the trial.
Deputy Smith said:
“I am reiterating my plea to Government today to ensure that independent legal observers are sent to monitor the trial of Irish citizen Daniel Tatlow-Devally in Stuttgart.
“We have huge concerns in relation to how the trial is being run, which I believe is in contravention of Daniel’s human rights. Permanent observers must be sent to the trial to ensure that the right to a fair trial and process is being upheld.
“It’s unconscionable that the Irish Government would fail to send an independent observer to ensure that fundamental rights of an Irish citizen are being upheld.
“For many months, myself and many other Oireachtas members have raised this case with Government and with the German Ambassador. Having witnessed it first hand, I am appalled at the manner in which the trial is being conducted.
“How this trial is being run is very different to what we would see in Ireland – for example, the trial does not take place on consecutive days meaning the process is being long drawn out, all the while Daniel is kept in solitary confinement in prison. This is despite the fact that Daniel and his colleagues are of no threat to people.
“This has all the hallmarks of a show trial. In the courtroom, Daniel and his colleagues are kept behind a glass screen, unable to sit beside and confer with their lawyers.
“Tomorrow, I will join with other delegates who attended the trial, Deputies Boyd Barrett, Ward, Farrell and Coppinger with Senator Stephenson and Lynn Boylan MEP to provide first hand testimony of the treatment of Daniel, and to make a firm call to Government to send independent legal observers.”