Medical Neglect at Portlaosie Prison

national | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Tuesday February 12, 2008 20:27 by Saoirse - Irish Freedom Committee Saoirse at irishfreedomcommittee dot net

Irish Republican Political Prisoner Needs Help

The shameful record of medical neglect to Irish Republican political
prisoners continues at Ireland's Portlaoise Prison!!

Aidan Hulme, long in grave pain from a poorly treated injury sustained
before he was first interned in a British prison over 6 years ago; must
have immediate and specialist care for his worsening physical condition.
Send an email and letter today to the addresses below to let the Irish
Government know you will not tolerate this barbarian treatment of an
Irish citizen in an Irish jail!

MEDICAL NEGLECT AT PORTLAOISE PRISON
12 February 2008

Irish Freedom Committee NewsList
http://www.irishfreedomcommittee. net

The shameful record of medical neglect to Irish Republican political
prisoners continues at Ireland's Portlaoise Prison!!

Aidan Hulme, long in grave pain from a poorly treated injury sustained
before he was first interned in a British prison over 6 years ago; must
have immediate and specialist care for his worsening physical condition.
Send an email and letter today to the addresses below to let the Irish
Government know you will not tolerate this barbarian treatment of an
Irish citizen in an Irish jail!

Please send an email or letter today to the Irish government bodies
listed below. Sample letter enclosed or use your own text.

Items Below:

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1. STATEMENT FROM PORTLAOISE P.O.W.S

2. HISTORY OF MEDICAL NEGLECT TO P.O.W.S

3. CONTACT IRISH GOV'T – SAMPLE LETTER

4. BACKGROUND – MORE INFORMATION on AIDAN HULME

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1. STATEMENT FROM PORTLAOISE POW'S, E3

This year marks the 7th anniversary of the death of volunteer Kevin
Murray due to the neglect of the Free State prison service and yet again
Republican POW's are suffering under this regime. At this moment Aidan
Hulme is lying in a cell in Portlaoise in severe pain due to a motor
accident that occurred prior to his incarceration by British forces over
six years ago.

Since his return home over a year ago he has still not received the
surgical attention he requires in order to relieve his pain and aid his
mobility. His hope in returning to Ireland was that his fellow country
men would help in his plight, but all he has received is a deaf ear and
a daily dose of 23 tablets and a morphine patch.

The more Aidan complains the more the authorities attempt to silence him
with more and more medication when all that is required is a simple
operation.

Republican prisoners have experienced this before, Kevin Murray made
numerous complaints to the medical staff in the prison and was given
glasses for 'bad eyesight' when in actual fact he had a brain tumour.

Aidan was offered an amputation in England despite the fact that a
relatively simple operation would solve his problem. Recently he needed
to go to hospital but was forced to wait a day and a half owing to the
fact that he is a political prisoner whereas criminals have much better
access than republicans.

The state of medical attention is sub standard with delays of days to
see a doctor and months to see a dentist. This situation is intolerable
and we will not wait for the death of another comrade before we act.

Republican POW's
E3 Wing
Portlaoise.

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2. WHY WAS KEVIN MURAY ALLOWED TO DIE?

http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/POWs/ kmurray.htm

Remember Vol. Kevin Murray -- died as a direct result of total medical
neglect for a massive brain tumor in 2001. Not again!!

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3. SAMPLE LETTER – PLEASE CONTACT
Department of Justice
Brian Lenihan
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
94 St. Stephen's Green
Dublin 2
Phone: + 353 1 602-8202
Email: info@justice. ie

Irish Prison Service
IDA Business Park, Ballinalee Road, Longford, Co. Longford
Tel: +353 43 35100
Fax: +353 43 35101
Email: info@irishprisons. ie

Governor Mr. T.J. Walsh
Portlaoise Prison
Dublin Road,
Portlaoise, Co. Laois.
Tel: 0502 21318
Fax: 0502 20997
Email: info@irishprisons. ie

To whom it may concern,

I am writing with grave concerns for the health and welfare of Aidan
Hulme, a Republican political prisoner at Portlaoise Prison.

Since being repatriated to Portlaoise in 2006, Aidan has continued to
suffer great pain from injuries sustained over six years ago before
being interned in Britain. It was his great hope, as mine, that his
repatriation to Ireland would finally result in the proper medical care
he so badly needs.

Aidan Hulme desperately needs surgery, not more pills. Currently he is
taking 23 tablets for pain per day. He has made numerous complaints and
requests for surgical attention to the Portlaoise prison governor and to
the medical officer, but has only received more pain pills in response.

You will recall, as I do, the 2001 death of another Republican prisoner,
Kevin Murray, who had also made numerous complaints and requests for
medical attention. Like Aidan, all that Kevin Murray received from
Portlaoise doctors were tablets. When the massive brain tumor was
finally discovered, it was far too late to operate, and Kevin was
released to hospice to die.

Please allow Aidan Hulme the simple operation that he requires. Under
international Human Rights laws including the Geneva Convention for the
Treatment of Prisoners of War; the European Convention for the
Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;
and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Aidan Hulme is entitled
to the same comforts of any Irish citizen while in your care.

Please advise. The favor of a response is requested.

Thank you,

NAME

ADDRESS

- The Irish Freedom Committee

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4. MORE INFORMATION on AIDAN HULME
http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/POWs/Aidan_Robert_...D.htm

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