Aiden Hulme press release
                           
                           An online petition aimed at securing the repatriation of republican
                           prisoner Aiden Hulme has just been launched by the New Republican Forum.
                           
                           Aiden is currently serving a 22-year sentence in Full Sutton prison,
                           England. He was imprisoned for alleged involvement in the 2000/2001
                           “Real” IRA bombing campaign in London. He has lost his appeal against
                           conviction and sentence and is currently awaiting repatriation to
                           Portlaoise Prison in Ireland.
                           
                           Prior to his arrest and imprisonment Aiden was involved in a serious
                           motorcycle accident that left him with a severely injured leg. In the
                           immediate aftermath of the accident he was receiving medical treatment
                           at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast and his condition was
                           improving at the time of his detention.
                           
                           However, subsequent to his arrest and imprisonment in Britain’s
                           notorious Belmarsh Special Secure Unit [SSU], Aiden’s medical
                           condition began to deteriorate at an alarming rate.
                           
                           In response to intense political pressure the Belmarsh authorities
                           reluctantly acquired the services of a medical specialist and doctor
                           to examine Aiden’s injured leg. After a brief examination the
                           Belmarsh-appointed specialist informed him that the injured leg should
                           be amputated. Aiden’s family and friends, disturbed by and suspicious
                           of this opinion, immediately sought a second opinion.
                           
                           After intensive and prolonged political lobbying by the Irish
                           Political Status Committee and other human rights groups an
                           independent specialist was permitted access to Belmarsh SSU to examine
                           Aiden. After the examination the independent specialist deemed the
                           limb “saveable" contrary to the opinion of the prison-appointed
                           specialist.
                           
                           Not only is Aiden still being denied proper treatment but
                           astonishingly, the Full Sutton prison authorities have decided to
                           withdraw his pain-killing medication on a gradual basis. No
                           alternative medication has been offered on the grounds that the pain
                           in his leg is “purely psychological”.
                           
                           The British authorities had transferred all the official documentation
                           relating to Aiden’s repatriation bid to the Department of Justice in
                           Dublin by September 2005 but the application has still not been
                           processed. These delays are leaving Aiden at risk of having his
                           injured leg amputated in England.
                           
                           Here's the link in case anyone is interested in signing it:
                           
                           http://www.petitiononline.com/87bb92a/petition.html
                           
                           We plan to picket the department of Justice where the delay in Aiden's
                           repatriation bid is occuring - during which we intend to present a
                           printed version of the petition to department staff.
                           
                           If anyone is interested in helping with this campaign, which has the
                           support of several political and humanitarian organisations, contact
                           me on:
                           
                           pauldoyle2006@hotmail.com
                           
                           Thanks,
                           
                           Paul Doyle,
                           
                           New Republican Forum.
                           
                           www.newrepublicanforum.ie