Michael Campbell & the EU Presidency: Lithuanian hypocrisy On July 1, Lithuania has taken the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from the 26 Counties Administration in Dublin for the coming twelve months. On this day, the programme of the Lithuanian EU-Presidency has been published in Brussels. Referring to the illegal treatment of republican prisoner Michael Campbell and the inhumane treatment in prison, Republican Sinn Féin International Spokesperson Dieter Blumenfeld called the programme of the Lithuanian EU-Presidency as “pure hypocrisy”. The programme of the Lithuanian EU-Presidency vows to safeguard “that the EU institutions remain active in their protection of fundamental human rights both within the EU and abroad“. The programme continues: “Regarding the Southern neighbourhood, Lithuania will support the EU focus on more effective implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy aiming at promoting democracy and inclusive and sustainable growth, based on promotion of human rights, especially the equal rights and freedoms of women, as well as closer cooperation with civil society.“ Furthermore the documents claims: “The EU is ready to take on leadership in protecting human rights.“ The chapter D “Justice and Home Affairs” starts with: “The Council dedicates particular attention to the protection of interests and the needs of citizens and other EU residents, in order to ensure respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms.” In a statement, Dieter Blumenfeld, International Spokesperson of Republican Sinn Féin, said: “The whole document is pure hypocrisy. While the EU and the current EU-Presidency of Lithuania try to play the role of heralds of human rights and democracy, they hold an innocent Irish citizen under inhumane conditions in Lithuania. Not just that his basic human rights are continuously denied by the very government that produced this document. Michael Campbell should have never been sentenced in the first place. The whole process of coercion, incitement and setting traps is unlawful as such. “While we demand the repatriation of Irish republican Michael Campbell, we are very aware of the fact that Michael Campbell should have never been sentenced in the first place. The whole court case was a farce, disreputable for a so-called democratic state in the 21st century. Thus, we call on all Irish republicans and their supporters in Europe and elsewhere to put pressure on the Lithuanian government. The unlawful refusal of Michael Campbell’s basic human rights must end immediately! We ask all our supporters to write letters to the Lithuanian embassy and consulate in your countries and demand justice for Irish republican prisoner Michael Campbell. We ask you to raise the case of Michael Campbell among your family, friends and in your workplace. Contact local, regional and national media outlets. “Only a campaign of international pressure on the Lithuanian government can and ultimately will achieve justice and the repatriation of Michael Campbell”, Republican Sinn Féin International Spokesperson Dieter Blumenfeld said. Críoch/Ends.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 21:29:08 +0000
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