Colombia 3 - Dail Protest to greet Colombian VP

international | crime and justice | event notice Monday March 15, 2004 15:21 by catriona ruane

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Supporters of the three Irishmen held in Bogota, are to stage a protest
during the visit of the vice president of Colombia, Francisco Santos to
Dublin next week. Mr Santos will meet the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Brian Cowen and members of the Dáil Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday 23
March.
His trip to Ireland is part of a series of such  discussions taking
place in Dublin during the Irish presidency of the European Union.

Caitriona Ruane, the spokeswoman for the Bring them Home Campaign which is
seeking the immediate release of the three men, Niall Connolly, Martin
McCauley and Jim Monaghan has called on the public to join their peaceful
protest outside the gates of Leinster House at 12.30 p.m. on Tuesday, March
23rd.

"These man have been separated from their families and detained in
dangerous and inhumane conditions for two and a half years.
We have yet to get a verdict in the case almost nine months
since the end of their trial in which there was no evidence presented to
link them to the main charges of training FARC guerillas."

"Vice President Santos presides over a government that has one of the worst
records of human rights in the world.
The rights of these three Irishmen have been systematically violated since
their arrest. IT is a disgrace."

"The trial of the three Irishmen ended in early August last year and the
judge has indicated that there may be a judgement sometime in March.
At a meeting we had with the Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos he
also informed us that there would a decision in March. A number of Irish
political and legal observers who attended the trial have
supported the view that there is no concrete evidence linking them to the
main charges, which carry heavy jail sentences on conviction."

"Last month Fianna Fail MEP, Niall Andrews voiced their concerns about the
treatment of the three men
when they met the Colombian president, Alvaro Uribe in Brussels. Mr Andrews
said that having attended the trial hearings he was satisfied there was no
legal case against the men on the training charges and that they should be
returned to their families immediately."

For Further Information contact : Caitriona Ruane on 00 353 86 8311311