‘Never again should a student live this nightmare’, says USI

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) today welcomed the verdict taken by the Egyptian court to acquit Dubliner Ibrahim Halawa of all charges. USI is calling for the immediate return of student Ibrahim Halawa back home to Ireland. The union also states never again should a student live this nightmare.

USI Deputy President Síona Cahill said,

Students across Ireland have been behind the campaign to release Ibrahim Halawa alongside his sisters Somaia, Fatima and Omaima. We celebrated his birthday, we cried out every time his trial was delayed, but today we celebrate his freedom after a hard fought campaign driven by students and his family.

“Although our Government took steps to release Ibrahim, the fact that this has taken over 4 years should be acknowledged. USI demands procedures and plans are put in place so tomorrow we don’t wake up to another Irish student stranded abroad, starving in a cell in another country as their mental health crumbles.”

Ibrahim Halawa is from Firhouse in Dublin. He was arrested in Cairo during a mass demonstration against the military ousting of the Muslim Brotherhood government in August 2013. He was 17-years-old at the time. His trial with 493 others has been delayed 28 times over the past 4 years. There has been no evidence implicating Mr Halawa was presented to the three-judge court.

Students’ Unions celebrate Halawa’s 21st in 2016