Senator Mark Daly ‘delighted’ over Halawa release

SENATOR Mark Daly said he was delighted over the release of Ibrahim Halawa having campaigned on behalf of the family through his role on the Foreign Affairs Committee over the past four years of the 21-year-old’s incarceration.

“We’re delighted he is coming back after campaigning relentlessly to have him released. Ibrahim now needs support having endured torture. Ibrahim showed the Irish Ambassador to Egypt the marks on his body caused by his torturers. There is now a journey ahead of him to try and get back to normal, and to college, which is what he always wanted to do,” said Sen Daly.

In 2015 Senator Daly invited members of Ibrahim’s family to the Foreign Affairs Committee to suggest that a delegation travel to Egypt to visit and lobby for Ibrahim’s release.

“I’ve recently been in contact with Ibrahim’s sisters who have done a remarkable job keeping the case alive in the media. He is Irish born and was awaiting trial for something he didn’t do. Having investigated the circumstances of the case, Amnesty International said he was a ‘prisoner of conscience’ which means the person is innocent of the charges faced. When you have an Irish born citizen facing a death sentence, it needs the full support of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the government.”

Meanwhile, Tralee native Damien Cole provided consular assistance to Halawa in his role as Irish Ambassador to Egypt.

Senator Mark Daly