At 4:50 pm yesterday, May 2, 2013, I received the news that the High Court had overruled the application to take Martin’s case to the Supreme Court in London.
This devastating news came without warning. Martin's legal team has spent months building his case with such strong conviction that I feel it would have ensured his immediate release under the European Convention on Human Rights.
In July 2012, a Belfast High Court judge ordered Martin’s immediate release, which was overturned within hours by the then unelected Secretary of State, Owen Paterson.
This decision was challenged in the High Court and the case concluded unsuccessfully in December 2012 with the three-man panel of judges upholding the directive of Owen Paterson. At that stage, an application was made to appeal the High Court's decision in the highest court in the country, the Supreme Court in London.
I spoke with Martin this evening and informed him of the news. Martin has come to expect little, and often accept less, when it comes to the justice system in the North of Ireland.
Our attendance at the Supreme Court in London would have given us the opportunity to expose many aspects of this case which I feel would not be found acceptable in any English court. The fact that the Secretary of State could hand out directives, dismissing decisions by High Court judges, would have been highlighted in the Supreme Court in London, exposing the fact that politicians in the north of Ireland rule the judiciary.
The biggest disappointment has to be the fact that had we not received justice in the Supreme Court in London, we would have had the opening to bring Martin’s case to the European Court of Human Rights. This is an avenue we can still explore, but without having exhausted every domestic court in the country due to our denial to attend the Supreme Court, it will be somewhat harder to achieve a hearing within a realistic timescale.
Martin has now been in Maghaberry Prison for over three years. The course of the law states, as I understand it, if you have committed a crime, you are: questioned, charged, tried in court, sentenced, and then imprisoned. Within the past three years, Martin has never been questioned, charged, or sentenced. He has served what amounts to a six year sentence.
We are currently awaiting a confirmed date for a parole hearing. Martin is entitled to an annual Parole Board Review. In February of this year the European Court of Human Rights stated that 13 months was an unacceptable period of time for a prisoner to wait for a parole hearing. Martin has now waited 19 months without a parole review.
Today’s announcement of the High Court ruling has been a bitter blow to the campaign for his release, but it will not undermine my determination in seeking his release. If anything, it will harden my resolve for justice.
We need to expose this continuing tyranny. British government officials are quick enough to state that the world’s worst human rights abusers are Burma, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, North Korea, and Sudan. Over the past three years I have witnessed first hand everything these officials have done to Martin and I feel the British government is making a mockery of truth by not including its own name on the list above.
Jim,
ReplyDeleteas always, great that people like you are keeping these type of abuses to the fore.
Nuala,
thanks for the input on this
This man needs to be released immediately.
ReplyDeleteWhat the British administration is basically saying to anyone with republican past, present or possible future, we can take your liberty at any time we want and there is nothing you can do about it.
It reminds me a book I read a while ago by Naomi Klein "The shock Doctrine". In which the USA utilise "shock and awe" warfare and covert CIA experiments to eliminate any resistance against state sponsored economic and political policies.
Resulting in its most extreme method of shock, detaining the individual without trial, torturing and use of sensory deprivation which in effect became the blue print for Guantanamo Bay.
Resulting in social conformity to the status quo, state initiated peace process, to protect and serve the union and its business objectives via "the fear factor". This is basically what is happening to this man. He is being made an example off, and warning to what could happen to you. No matter, if you are engaged in republican activity or not.
Martin Corey & Marian Price (et al) are deemed as political EXPENDABLES in maintaining British rule via Stomont HQ by ALL the political parties involved in.
ReplyDeleteAlso, they are being used as political guinea pigs for the imminent 'Security & Justice Bill', which the DUP has showed an avid interest in it's implementation.
However, their ILLEGAL treatment carries a more cynical message..
Following the crushing of the 18th century Jacobite Rebellion in Scotland
the British took Scottish prisoners back to London for trail for treason and subsequent execution. To deter future 'dissent' the British government decided to exhibit their decapitated heads on pikes in every town between London and Glasgow.
So, in 2013 we are witnessing a more 'socially acceptable' take of this morbid form of suppressing political dissent in the O6C with Price & Corey the unwitting DETERRENTS.
"Heads On Pikes/Are Extra Nice/When Hoisted Twice"
When once the likes of Brendan 'the Dark' Hughes, Dolours Price, Marian Price, Martin Corey et al. were once classed as the DEPENDABLES within the Republican movement, the carrot of power and control offered on a British government stick took precedence over the 'original' goals of the movement, and they have been 're-classified' by their former comrades as the EXPENDABLES in favour of administration of British rule via Stormont HQ!
ReplyDeleteMackers,
ReplyDeleteJim has been such a constant in relation to these issues and especially in Martin's case. It's just nice to be of some assistance.
Jim I did not think that the high court could overrule an application to the supreme court, needless to say this is unusual and I,m wondering would it be possible for you to post the order verbatim up here on TPQ.
ReplyDeleteWhat is clear beyond any doubt is that Martin and Marian are pawns in a dirty game that continues from the surrender of the PIRA...
Fenian has said it all in one post.
ReplyDeleteAs for the High Court to overrule the application, it depends on the wording and reasons if any of the application for a hearing in the supreme court in London.
Lets not forget that these judges will have been receiving letter,emails,phone calls,Personal meetings advocating the need for a refusal from dark forces within whitehall, ie , MI5 , these judges have no option but to comply and the sad fact is, you cannot appeal against there decision. The only option left is for a written letter be sent to the EU court of appeal stating the fact that a Legal Right to have the case heard in the Highest court in the UK was denied, thus denying the right to have the case heard in the EU courts and request that the EU court of appeal write a strong worded letter to the British Minister Of justice requesting the reason for the refusal, and , the person who has been refused his legal rights has never been charged , doe's not know the reason why he is in prison.
From what I can gather,there is a six months deadline on this application to the ECHR,the application must be on a form which can be downloaded and sent along with the order.
ReplyDeleteTo paraphrase Adam Smith, English law is instituted for the powerful against the oppressed, it works in defence of the rich against the poor.
ReplyDeleteWhat has happened to Martin is outrageous the more so as those who enforce it blather on about the rule of law, when in fact no such thing exists.
It is time SF stepped up to the plate and did more than issue the odd powder puff to keep the troops in the game.
If Sinn Fein cannot or will not fight for those who are victims of British law, what purpose do they serve? What's the purpose of being 'in government' in the north east, if they can not keep the victims of 'British justice' out of jail?
We know they are up to this task as they have done it in recent years when members of their own organisation where lifted, Now they need to do the same for republicans like Marian and Martin who are not.
Do I really have to remind SF of the Martin Niemöller poem.
Organised Rage,
ReplyDeletegood point.
Sinn Fein's raison d'etre is to be in office not to do anything radical while there. Just to be, not to change.
And there is the party mindset towards republicans critical of the party that needs to be factored into out deliberations on why SF won't take up a radical position. It was a SF militia that pumped bullets into the Real IRA member Jo O'Connor. Then we did what you have just done - reminded them of the words of Niemoller.
AM -
ReplyDeleteWe all know PSF's role in Stormont HQ is pure window dressing for political effect.
Whitehall says jump, and PSF say how high! The PSF press release after Marty's first meeting with Villiers spoke volumes. Their raising of the plight of Marian & Martin got a couple of token lines at the end.
Last night's Nolan Show re-iterated who actually rules the Stormont roost. The DUP's wee Jeffrey was adamant that visitors will NOT in in be fact allowed into the Maze hospital wing! He also made clear that his party would be using their veto to make sure of the fact. The truth of the matter is the ONLY reason that H-Block & the hospital wing are even still standing is because they are listed buildings.
PSF attempts to build monuments to the past as a form of vindication for a new political dispensation is a high self-delusionary tactic.
Especially, when the reality on the ground is that whilst one political detention centre has been closed another one, MagHaberry, is fully operational. Not to mention plans are in the pipeline for it too to be replaced by an even bigger and modern internment camp!
Organised rage a cara quisling $inn £ein are exactly what the name suggests Quislings ,of course they will attempt to look after their own its a small crumb from the masters table and a sticking plaster handed down by the real bosses to attempt to halt the hemorrhaging that is going on in that party.Martybroy has stood up to the plate ,if you did not notice and clearly stated his parties position to "dissident republicans"that was that they were criminals and traitors to Ireland,since then the president for life has issued a few feeble calls for justice for Martin ,Marian, mainly for the optics and to soothe minor discontent within the flock,quisling $inn £ein in this matter and indeed in almost every other issue affecting the community that they are elected to represent have proved abysmal failures,we should be putting them out of office not begging the to honor their obligations to these communities,they have had their time in the sun and it looks like they have got burnt..
ReplyDelete