Sandy Boyer (SB) of Radio Free Éireann WBAI 99.5 Pacifica Radio New York City interviews Jerry McGlinchey, (JM) Marian Price's husband, via telephone from Belfast about Marian's health and her continued internment at the whim of Northern Ireland Secretary of State Owen Paterson.
Saturday 18th August 2012
SB: We're going over to Belfast to speak to Jerry McGlinchey whose wife, Marian Price, has been imprisoned for two years (Ed Note: fifteen months) on secret evidence she's never been allowed to see. Marian's health has been deteriorating badly. And this week she had to be taken from the prison hospital where she's being treated to a local hospital both on Thursday and Friday. Jerry, thanks very much for being with us.
JM: Thanks very much Sandy for giving me the chance. And, where do you want me to start?
SB: Tell us what happened on Thursday when she was taken from....
JM: What's actually happened is Marian's health has deteriorated greatly. She was actually moved from the prison to a proper hospital on the 22nd of June because her health was so bad. It then transpired that she had actually contracted pneumonia. She had pneumonia so she was to be treated for pneumonia. And as you may be aware and some of your listeners might be ... she already suffers from very severe arthritis. So they were trying to cure the pneumonia from a lung that had been collapsed when she was previously in prison on hunger strike. They couldn't treat the arthritis because the drugs were counteracting each other. So what actually happened was she had to go for x-rays and of course they couldn't make out why the pneumonia hadn't been cured. This was all, as I say, just strict medical care up until Wednesday past, sorry ...Thursday past, the sixteenth. What actually happened then was on that morning she was told she was going to be taken to another hospital for treatment for her arthritis. But she was then also told that she would be handcuffed during the journey and when she was out. All experts including the hospital doctors, the UN doctors everybody had already said that Marian was no danger to anybody. Her wrists and joints are swollen with the arthritis but the prison officers insisted, the prison service insisted, not only was she to be handcuffed she was actually doubly handcuffed. One set of handcuffs were on her wrists, one on each wrist and another set was used to link one of her wrists to a prison officer's wrist.
SB: Now this is a woman who's in excruciating pain from arthritis.
JM: She's not only in excruciating pain from arthritis Sandy, what we have to remember is she's currently being treated for pneumonia as well. She's very weak. And as I say, most things are an effort. Yet she was actually doubly handcuffed to move to a hospital for treatment.
SB: And Jerry, on Friday they actually had to perform an endoscopy and a lung wash?
JM: Yes. On Friday she was then told that she would be brought to have a procedure where a camera would be placed into her lung to try and establish what was actually wrong with her lung and she would have what's called a lung wash. Again, despite the fact we had been on to the Department of Justice and the doctors had been on to the Prison Service telling them that she shouldn't be handcuffed because her joints were actually swollen and marked where the handcuffs had been first put on her, she was again handcuffed. And this was to be brought to the same hospital she was already actually in. And as I say, the only reason we can think for this at all is obviously to embarrass her, to degrade her, to let her know who's boss, more or less. And as I said on the Thursday treatment when she was in the other hospital for the injections for the arthritis she was actually told she had to provide a urine sample. And for this she was paraded down past members of the public and other patients handcuffed to a prison officer and escorted by PSNI officers in front of everybody just to make it a total circus. And as I say it just is beyond the bounds of belief that this can happen in this day and age. Particularly when doctors have avowed that she's no danger and have said how fragile her health is.
SB: And Jerry, yesterday, when they had to do this procedure on her in an operating room, the prison guards were in the operating room?
JM: The prison officers said that they were under strict instructions not to let her out of their sight. Had I been posted on the medical staff as well I would certainly have told them to leave. They didn't leave. Again as I've said, when the procedures had been done, Marian asked the doctors to look at her wrists. Because the doctors then noticed that her wrists were bruised and swollen. They contacted a senior doctor from the hospital who spoke to the hospital's legal representatives and they all made it abundantly clear that Marian was not to be handcuffed again. That message was conveyed directly to Colin MC (inaudible), who is supposedly behind the handcuffs in the first place, he had insisted on them. The message was relayed to him and he said that he would directly direct it to the prison officers. Of course he didn't. And as I've said, this all harks back to when Marian was moved from Hydebank to a hospital in June this year. And that was just days before the visit of the UN doctors who went in to see the conditions she had been kept in for the previous months. The prison governor issued a letter dictating that during any movement of Marian that she'd be handcuffed and the hospital had to challenge this. As I think I told you before, when the prison governor actually visited Marian's room in the hospital he had workmen in the next day blocking off windows so Marian couldn't see out the windows. But the hospital rapidly put a stop to that, thank God.
SB: Jerry, just let me change the subject momentarily. The Social Democratic and Labour Party member of the Stormont Assembly, Pat Ramsey, actually did something very positive because, as you've told us before, Marian had a full pardon. She is not out on parole or licence, but they claim they just lost that pardon.
JM: Marian in 1980 received full pardon and as I've said that overruled the licence. Pat Ramsey recently wrote to Owen Paterson, who appears to be the dictator behind all of this, and he raised points to him in relation to the pardon as: How it could have been destroyed? Are there no copies? Had any investigation been carried out as to how this has gone missing? Was anybody being looked at for having destroyed it? And Owen Paterson's reply, believe it or not, consisted simply that he feels the pardon is irrelevant. As I've said, it may be irrelevant to him but to a justice system a pardon has to be totally relevant. And most certainly to Marian and her family the pardon is totally relevant because if that pardon were available Marian would not be in the position she's in now.
SB: So we have a situation, and we're not in the habit of praising members of the Stormont Assembly here, but even when one does the right thing and writes to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson, just is not impressed ... just disregards the Stormont Assembly which is supposed ...
JM: Not only that. Owen Paterson not only disregards the MLAs in the Assembly he has actually overruled judges on more than one occasion. And as I've said, I can't understand how the judges are remaining silent. When they give decisions, when they give decisions and an unelected politician here just overrules them that throws the whole legal system here aside and dictates what he wants to happen here. If I could just add, Sandy, it was six maybe seven weeks ago the UN put out a report condemning Britain for human rights abuses: torture in prisons and over-lengthly pre-trial detentions. Now, the spokesperson for Britain, a Lord McNally, said that he was proud of Britain's record. I presume he didn't mean their human rights record in Ireland, not that there was room for improvement. And what I would say is there's plenty of room for improvement in Marian's case. There's in operation here, a vicious and vindictive plan to destroy Marian. I've said this before and as I say any treatment, any positive moves for Marian are quickly pushed aside by negative happenings coming from the government side. As I say, a royal pardon, the only one in the history of English law to go missing, and nobody...the Department of Justice, Public Prosecution Service, the PSNI, nobody seems at all worried that this has happened and there's been no investigation as to how it could possibly happen. And to me, that speaks for itself.
SB: Now Jerry, thanks very much and we're going to be keeping in touch with you. We've got to keep in touch with this case.
JM: Thanks very, very much Sandy. I'll catch you again. Thank you.
SB: I just want to ask everybody to do a very simple thing for Marian Price. Just send an email to Owen Paterson. Demand that she be released. You can send it to: patersono@parliament.uk (repeats email address). Demand that this woman be released; that this torture end!
19 comments:
the continued use of internment along with the new "closed evidence" clause applicable to each and all of us demonstrates that neither civil nor national rights have been attained by the royal ulster provos: all they have done is tighten the yoke of the repressive apparatus which has always been there. its just more subtle and refined having "reoublican" proponents of the system now....
marian price and martin corey matter to the royal ulsters as much as billy hunter did. power corrupts.... and all too often conservatives are penultimately revolutionaries.
welcome to the ireland of equals....
Degrading treatment is well within the British Establishment against, Not just Irish people,but, around the world, everyone knows that Marion , with Gerry Mc Geough and Martin Corey etc, are being used as scapegoats under these draconian powers. Its like the Brit's are saying, Your Leaders accepted to sit in a British Establishment called Stormont and accepted British rule over the province of Ulster, I would love to see Adams getting lifted over Mrs Mc Connville's Execution and secretly buried (disapearence), I see no reason why the Dark (Brendan Hughes) R.I.P. would have any reason to lie, yes he was bitter and felt shoved to the side by his so called best mucker and OC. He had nothing to gain by his statement, No one could see it until he passed away, I believe he thought ,just like myself, "Whats going on here, this is not right, why are they standing to be elected as a British M.P.,to sit in stormont as MLA's". All those Interned in this day and age should be released forthwith and Adam's Mc Guinness, Kelly, etc put inside in there place, ffs people, enough is enough, Its obvious that PSF are giving info to RUC/PSNI behind the scenes to keep themselves safe, my question is, WHO'S NEXT TO BE INTERNED, and, HOW MANY MORE DOES IT TAKE BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN?. I'm of the honest opinion that the Brit's write Gerry;(never been in the RA) ' speeches.
Help needed for National Rally on the 15th of September
From The Free Gerry McGeough Campaign:
"Theresa Villiers new NI Secretary." She has been moved up from her post as former Minister of State for Transport.
We don't know what format she will choose for her ministerial email address so we are suggesting you inundate her local Conservative Association email address with messages. Here it is:
cbca163@gmail.com
They will have to pass the messages on to the N. I. Office on Millbank.
We all have a window of opportunity of approx. 12 hours to muster an avalanche of emails to her which you can be reasonably sure she will see, because they will arrive before the NIO Civil Servants have a chance to tell her to pass the McGeough 'issue' over to Ford.
Villiers' Conservative Association will be completely taken by surprise.
Put in the subject box: "USA and the Good Friday Agreement". Nothing abusive should be written, otherwise the Association won't forward the messages.
Let the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland know that the Irish American community want Gerry McGeough, Marian Price and Martin Corey released immediately.
Thank you.
The Free Gerry McGeough Campaign
Itsjustmacker
I would love to see Adams getting lifted over Mrs McConville's Execution
I think this is absolutely the wrong attitude. Nobody should be getting lifted for the war regardless of whether we like them or not.
I see no reason why the Dark (Brendan Hughes) RIP would have any reason to lie
I agree but it is a secondary issue.
Its obvious that PSF are giving info to RUC/PSNI behind the scenes to keep themselves safe.
Probable a top man’s agreement similar to the one they had with the loyalists. Let the rest get lifted or killed as long as the leaders are ok.
Anthony.
I have no dislike for Adams as an Individual, but I do have a dislike about his lies and deceit ;
"Probable a top man’s agreement similar to the one they had with the loyalists. Let the rest get lifted or killed as long as the leaders are ok.
That's one of them.
"Never been in the P.I.R.A"
That's another.
Building himself up to be the big peace maker, even when comrades were near death on hunger strike.
That's another.
Allowing those to die on hunger strike whilst he knew a deal was on the table.
That's another.
Anthony, I know you know more than i do.
But I do know he is one very shrewd and deceitful man, and, he , Mc Guinness , and , Kelly ; mapped everything out , they knew who the jobs were going to before any agreement was reached , even before anything was signed
Itsjustmacker a cara you say you have no dislike for Adams as an individual then you recall the treachery and deceit of this slime ball what does he have to do to actually to make you dislike him? kill us all maybe!
Anthony I have just sent you a superb video compiled by that tireless worker for human rights Derry,s own Pauline Mellon re Marian could you post it up ,well worth viewing.
From The Free Gerry McGeough Campaign:
Write to:
Theresa Villiers
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Office
Stormont House
Stormont Estate
Belfast
Northern Ireland
BT4 3SH
_____________________
The refusal by the British Government to apply the wording of Strand 3, Prisoners, paragraph 1 of the Belfast Agreement (1998) to the case of Gerry McGeough and credit Mr McGeough with time served in Germany and the USA prior to 1998 is a direct violation of an International Agreement.
Strand 3, Prisoners, paragraph 1 states:
1. Both Governments will put in place mechanisms to provide for an accelerated programme for the release of prisoners, including transferred prisoners, convicted of scheduled offences in Northern Ireland or, in the case of those sentenced outside Northern Ireland, similar offences (referred to hereafter as qualifying prisoners). Any such arrangement will protect the rights of individual prisoners under national and international law.
Gerry McGeough was imprisoned prior to 1998 in both Germany and the USA for a total of seven and a half years under qualifying IRA offences.
The decision taken by the British Government not to legislate for paragraph 20 of the Weston Park Accord (2001) under the wording agreed by the British and Irish Governments in 2001 is a unilateral abrogation of an International Agreement.
Paragraph 20 of the Weston Park Accord 2001 states:
"supporters of organisations 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".
I call on the British Government to adhere to the wording of Strand 3, Prisoners, paragraph 1 of the Belfast Agreement (1998) and for paragraph 20 of the Weston Park Accord to be legislated for and implemented in full, as it was originally agreed by the British and Irish Governments in 2001 and for the immediate release of Gerry McGeough.
From --Sandy Boyer
5 September 2012
Charges against four people including former hunger striker Marian
Price have been re-instated by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).
The charges relate to a republican march in Londonderry in April 2011.
In May, a district judge said he would not return the four for trial
as there were "no papers in front of him" and the charges were not
proceeded with.
However, the decision by the PPS means that the four will now face the
original charges again.
The three Derry men were freed but Ms Price continued to be held in
custody because her licence had been revoked.
Ms Price, 57, who appeared in court under her married name of Marian
McGlinchey, from Stockman's Avenue in Belfast, was charged along with
Paddy McDaid, 42, of Sackville Court, Frank Quigley, 29, of Elmwood
Road and Marvin Canning, 50, of Glendara, all in Derry, in connection
with managing and taking part in a meeting in support of a proscribed
organisation.
Revoked
They are due to appear at a preliminary enquiry at the city's
Magistrate's Court on 27 September.
At the time of her first appearance on this charge in May 2011, it was
announced that the secretary of state had revoked Ms Price's licence
and she has remained in custody ever since.
There have been increasing concerns about the health of Ms Price and
the matter has been raised by various political parties including Sinn
Fein and the SDLP.
It is not known if she will be judged fit to appear in court on that date.
At the hearing in May, a barrister told the court that his client was
"severely depressed" and may not be fit to appear in court for some
time.
Ms Price was convicted for her part in the bombing of the Old Bailey
in London in 1973 but was later released from prison on licence.
Her licence was revoked by then Secretary of State Owen Paterson last May
Marty,
I am looking for a way to get that video in without it being buried. Probably a this and that piece will be the best option
Itsjustmacker,
I agree entirely about the nature of the person. There is not anything or anyone that would not be sacrificed in pursuit of ambition. But that still does not lead me to a conclusion that people like him should be in court for what went on during the conflict despite their role in procuring and counselling much of it.
Free Marian Price, Dublin 15th September 2012
Marty.
Sorry for late reply, just noticed your comment.
"Itsjustmacker a cara you say you have no dislike for Adams as an individual then you recall the treachery and deceit of this slime ball what does he have to do to actually to make you dislike him? kill us all maybe!".
NO.
Hari Kari would be more appropiate.
Anthony.
" But that still does not lead me to a conclusion that people like him should be in court for what went on during the conflict despite their role in procuring and counselling much of it."
and which party, of whom he, "The leader" , is asking Pro Treaty Republicans and Nationalists to grass to the PSNI/RUC , is having Anti Treaty republicans arrested and Interned, for actions during the conflict , which as you rightly know , are covered by The weston Park agreement, but this has still not been implemented, The Irish and British , I believe have come to a secret Agreement, "Not To Implement it".
Today I sent Paul Maskey MP an e-mail reminding him that come Monday Marian Price will be interned for 500 days,I pointed out that Owen Patterson the previous sos had claimed that Marian,s pardon was either lost or shredded,I also reminded him that if this pardon could be recovered the immoral and disgraceful internment of a 58 year old woman may also be proved to be illegal,I therefore asked him as MP for west Belfast to submit a written question to the house of parliament asking just what measures are being taken to recover this missing document,or has the police been informed about the destruction of government property,this woman is gravely ill and time here is of the essence,I have received a reply from Mr Maskey a while ago in which he stated as an abstentionist mp he cannot submit written questions ,this means as a public rep he is as useful as tits on a bull...2007/8 Quisling $inn £ein claimed £662,660 in taxpayer funded commons expenses,last year it is claimed that five quisling $inn £ein mp,s claimed more than£310,000 over five years in second home allowances,..Now hows that for doing fuck all...
Marty.
They are lining their pockets for being puppets, strings pulled by British and Ulster Unionists, they have no pulling power and its about time they got a grip of themselves, they are now 9/10 tenths of believing they are british MP's.
There is nothing stopping them writting to the British Prime Minister , you and i and everyone else can, they just don't want to, too much to loose.
Itsjustmacker how right you are a cara British as Finchley,cricket on the green(long kesh) Pat Sheehan sipping his Pims,aye it sure is easy to lie on another mans wounds.
I agree SF haven't done enough to call for Marian Price's release, but if you think a question in the House of Commons will help get Marian released. Why not contact Mark Durkan or Margaret Ritchie? They take their seats and claim to represent Irish voters. Be good to see Durkan give voice to the case in HOP. Can't believe its 500 days, what a disgrace.
Newsjunkie 283 Good point a cara and in the process of contacting Alasdair Mc Donnell mp about exactly the same ..
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