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Workers Party of Ireland Condemn Arrest of Former Party President
February 2, 2009
Central Executive Committee, Workers Party of Ireland
24 Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1. Tel: (01) 874 0716
Friday, 30 January 2009
WORKERS PARTY CONDEMN HEAVY-HANDED ARREST
OF FORMER PARTY PRESIDENT SEAN GARLAND
The Workers’ Party of Ireland have condemned the heavy handed arrest of former Party President Seán Garland outside the party’s Head Office in Dublin this morning on foot of a US extradition warrant. Mr. Garland is also a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Workers' Party.
Current Workers’ Party President Michael Finnegan has said:
“The Central Executive of the Workers’ Party condemns this heavy handed and blatantly political act. Some time ago Sean Garland had been in touch with gardaí through his legal representatives and had made it clear that he was willing and available to speak to them at any time. There was absolutely no need to arrest Sean Garland outside the party offices and the decision to do so only serves to reinforce the political nature of this arrest”.
"Sean Garland has made it clear previously and again now that he will fight any attempt at extradition to the United States through the Irish courts. The Workers’ Party will fully support Sean Garland in this process".
The Workers' Party calls on all progressive groups and individuals in Ireland and throughout the world to oppose the persecution of Sean Garland.
EMERGENCY APPEAL
FROM THE WORKERS PARTY OF IRELAND
Dear Comrades,
We wish to inform you that this morning Comrade Sean Garland, former President of the Workers’ Party of Ireland and current member of the Party’s Central Executive Committee, was arrested outside the Workers’ Party Head Office in Dublin at the request of the US authorities who are seeking his extradition to the United States.
The Workers’ Party of Ireland has condemned this blatant political attack on a leading member of the Workers’ Party who has pursued a life long struggle against US imperialism. The Workers’ Party will fight any attempt to extradite Sean Garland to the United States and calls on all progressive groups and individuals to express their solidarity with Comrade Sean Garland.
The Workers’ Party calls on all Communist and Workers’ parties to send messages of solidarity and support to Sean Garland and the Workers’ Party of Ireland and to take action to protest against this vindictive persecution of our Comrade by the US.
Messages of protest should also be sent to the Irish authorities (Minister Dermot Ahern TD, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, 94 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, Ireland – email: info@justice.ie
Yours in solidarity,
The Central Executive Committee
The Workers’ Party of Ireland
30 January 2009 |