Lawyers for Irish citizen detained in Cairo to address European Parliament

Ibrahim Halawa was arrested in Cairo in August 2013 at the age of 17 and has allegedly suffered permanent disfigurement to his hand since being taken into custody. He awaits a mass trial and his lawyers believe he faces the death penalty if convicted.

Darragh Mackin and Gavin Booth of KRW Law LLP, a human rights and criminal defence law practice based in Belfast, will be accompanied by Mr Halawa’s family as they call on European authorities to act with diligence in securing his release.

Mark Wassouf and Katherine O’Byrne, barristers of Doughty Street Chambers in London, are instructed by KRW Law LLP and will also be addressing the MEPs on the various human rights breaches contained within the case of Ibrahim Halawa.

MEPs will also hear from Australian journalist Peter Greste, who was similarly detained, together with his lawyer Dr Christopher Ward SC, instructed by Chris Flynn of Gilbert Tobin Lawyers.

Reprieve, a human rights organisation based in London, will address the Parliament on why Ibrahim’s case is of international concern, and why he should be released without further delay.

Darragh Mackin said: “The opportunity to address MEPs on the plight of Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa, facilitated by Lynn Boylan MEP, together with other legal representatives and journalists, should be sending a clear message to the authorities in Cairo that the EU is taking very seriously the plight of an EU citizen and cannot ignore the consequences of its actions.

“We shall continue to seek Ibrahim’s immediate release and this opportunity on Brussels is part of that campaign.”

Gavin Booth added: “We need to make MEPs aware of the plight of Irish teenager Ibrahim Halawa who remains in an Egyptian prison awaiting trial at a point yet to be determined the Egyptian authorities.

“Not only is Ibrahim an Irish national he is also a citizen of the EU with the rights that that confers on him. We have a strong legal team, support from our colleagues at Reprieve and journalists who have similarly suffered the loss of liberty at the hands of the Egyptian authorities.”