merrion street

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney has issued the following statement this morning to mark the fourth anniversary of the arrest of Ibrahim Halawa.

"On this the fourth anniversary of the arrest and detention of Irish citizen Ibrahim Halwa in Cairo, I want to reaffirm my determination and that of the Irish Government to seeing this young man released from prison in Egypt and returned to his family in Dublin so that he can resume his life and his studies.
"I welcome the fact that, earlier this month, Ibrahim finally had his day in court and his opportunity to defend himself against the charges that he faces, and I note that the group trial in which he is a defendant seems finally to be drawing to an end. I look forward to the conclusion of the judicial process, and to a resolution of this long-running and complex issue.
I am sending a personal message to Ibrahim Halawa today expressing solidarity with him, encouraging him to stay strong and hopeful, and renewing the Government’s promise to him that we will continue to do everything possible to ensure that he is able to return home as soon as possible."