The continued incarceration of Gerry McGeough Makes a Mockery of the Good Friday Agreement. I am writing this to highlight the injustice that continues in the North of Ireland almost fourteen years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
On Friday, 2nd March, 2012, Gerry McGeough's bid for freedom failed when British Diplock Judge M. Seamus Treacy dismissed Gerry's Judicial Review at the High Court in Belfast.
We now have to await the outcome of Gerry's appeal which should have been held on November 16th 2011, but, once again, this has been delayed. If Gerry wins his appeal, which I hope will be heard soon, he will walk free.
However, a new date for Gerry's appeal has yet to be given. Five years of torture and torment for Gerry, his wife Maria and their four children. Five years of court appearances with delay after delay, on charges dating back to June 1981.
Yet, when the family of Nora McCabe applied for a prosecution against the RUC personnel who killed Nora with a plastic bullet in June 1981, Crown Judge Coghlin refused the application on grounds that too much time had passed and any charges brought would be dismissed.
Gerry has always supported the Peace Process and continues to do so, yet despite the Good Friday Agreement, the Weston Park Accord and the Peace Process, Gerry McGeough has been incarcerated in Maghaberry prison since February 18th 2011.
Paragraph 20 of the Weston Park Accord (1st August 2001) between the British and Irish Governments stated that "supporters of organizations now on cease-fire against whom there are outstanding proceedings, and in some cases extradition proceedings, for offences committed before 10th April 1998...would if convicted, stand to benefit from the early release scheme. The Governments accept that it would be a natural development of the scheme for such prosecutions not to be pursued and will as soon as possible, and in any event before the end of the year, take such steps as are necessary in their jurisdictions to resolve this difficulty so that those concerned are no longer pursued".
Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement and the Weston Park Accord, which have benefited many others, Gerry McGeough should never have been brought before the courts. Unfortunately, both the Irish and British governments have failed to fully implement the Weston Park Accord. Gerry has suffered two heart attacks in the past year and has had five stints inserted. His health continues to deteriorate. The medically unfit conditions in which Gerry is being kept in are inhumane. His doctors are concerned and appalled that medication is not being properly administered inside Maghaberry prison.
A prison medical officer has also recently said that due to his condition as a cardiac patient, Gerry should not be in prison. On health grounds alone, Gerry McGeough should be released. Many political representatives from various parties across Ireland have given their support to the campaign for Gerry's release. Some of those politicians have shown real leadership and a genuine concern, not only for Gerry and his family, but also for Marian Price who has yet to be charged, but remains in prison because a document which would allow her to be freed has been "lost" or "destroyed" according to the British secretary of State Owen Paterson.
Martin Corey from Lurgan in County Armagh, was lifted by the PSNI and imprisoned. Martin has yet to be given a reason for his incarceration at Maghaberry. This is the latest form of internment being used by the British government towards the people of Ireland. Many other politicians, however, have buried their heads in the sand.
Statements are welcome, but they need to be followed up with appropriate actions. Those political parties who negotiated the Good Friday Agreement and the Weston Park Accord and the American Government who played a major role in the Peace Process need to be fully focused on ensuring all agreements are adhered to by both the British and Irish governments in full and without exception.
Damian Herron
Dungannon, County Tyrone
Damian Herron is northern chairperson for the Free Gerry McGeough Campaign.
