Free Gaza Movement in Ireland demands immediate release of Mairead Maguire

national | anti-war / imperialism | press release Thursday September 30, 2010 11:26 by Fintan Lane - Free Gaza Movement 087 1258325

Release of Irish Nobel Laureate detained by Israel must happen now

PRESS RELEASE: 10am, 30/9/10

Irish Nobel peace laureate Mairead Maguire is in custody, facing deportation from Israel, after being arrested at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.

Israel claims that it has refused entry to Ms Maguire because she took part in an attempt to break the sea blockade of Gaza. She was among the Irish kidnapped by Israeli commandos when the Rachel Corrie was hijacked in international waters in early June.

Her lawyers said she would challenge the deportation order at a court hearing in Tel Aviv on Friday.

Condemning the detention and planned deportation, Fintan Lane of the Free Gaza Movement in Ireland and National Coordinator of the Irish Ship to Gaza Campaign, said: "The harassment and arrest of Mairead Maguire is a disgrace and yet another example of how Israel views human rights activists with contempt. She should be released immediately and allowed to travel freely within Palestine and Israel."

He continued: "The Irish government must insist on Mairead's right to access the occupied Palestinian territories. We cannot give in to Israeli attempts to intimidate human rights and solidarity activists. The detention of Mairead Maguire is outrageous and unacceptable."

Fintan Lane is a member of the Free Gaza Movement and National Coordinator of the Irish Ship to Gaza Campaign. He participated in the Freedom Flotilla on Challenger 1 in late May and was among those kidnapped in international waters and held illegally in an Israeli prison.

The Irish Ship to Gaza Campaign is fundraising to ensure that an Irish ship takes part in the Second Freedom Flotilla in early November - a downpayment has already been made on a ship in the Mediterranean and plans are well advanced.

PRESS RELEASE ENDS

For further information, phone Fintan Lane at 087 1258325, or Niamh Moloughney at XXXX.

Free Gaza website: www.freegaza.org

Irish Ship to Gaza website: www.irishshiptogaza.org