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THE FAMILY OF Irish teenager Ibrahim Halawa have renewed hope that he will be freed from prison after his cell mate was released.
Ibrahim and his sisters Somaia, Fatima and Omaima were arrested at the al-Fateh mosque in August 2013 while attending a march against the ousting of former president Mohammed Morsi.
The sisters were allowed return to Dublin after three months.
However Ibrahim has been charged, along with 493 others, of murder, attempted murder and participating in an illegal protest.
Murder and attempted murder offences are normally punishable by death under Egyptian law.
Ibrahim shared a cell with Australian Al Jeezera journalist Peter Greste after his arrest. Peter was released yesterday and is now on his way home to Australia.
Ibrahims sister Somaia spoke to Newstalk Breakfast from Cairo this morning. She said she visits her brother every week:
“He’s very disappointed because a year and a half in a prison call for an innocent person is not a little thing. Every time he goes to court he thinks he will be released but then he loses hope again.
After I heard they went to Peter at 7 o’clock in the morning and they just took him out without him even knowing I was like I hope that in the morning I will see my brother knocking on the door and he will be like, Oh I got released, you know?
“I have hope. That’s what keeps us going – to have hope that maybe he will be released tomorrow, maybe after tomorrow, maybe now.”
Greste was deported under a decree passed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that allows for the transfer of foreigners on trial.
Due to Ibhaim’s parentage and dual-citizenship he has been recognised as an Egyptian citizen.
It’s reported that Halawa’s lawyers will apply to have him released as a foreigner to his home nation.
Another of the jailed Al Jazeera journalists, Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, is a dual citizen of Egypt and Canada but he’s expected to give up his Egyptian citizenship to obtain his release.
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Wear a mask no problem, avoid pubs no problem, no crowds ok. Visiting my family will continue no matter what. I’ve hit my breaking point. Anyone else?
@Richard Griffin: the true meaning of Christmas about to become clearer right? Family Time.
@Richard Griffin: the same. Reasonable measures yes, the remaining excesses , no.
@Isabel Oliveira:
Could not agree more.
Proper hand hygiene, social distancing, wearing a mask etc all good, all needed.
Everything else = Nonsense of the highest order. Stopped going into shops that just accept cards now, and will continue to do so when the pandemic ends. I have a bank card, it’s just the principle, my elderly family members don’t. That’s just one example of excess.
@Darren Anthony Corr: yes i am the exact same! Lots of small shops here where i am refusing to except cash! Lots of people i know too are staying away from these shops! Madness!
@Richard Griffin: Spot on Richard. Common sense at all times and everyone should be ok
@Madethyme:
Here where I am, Argos has a person at the door asking you what your looking for and won’t let you in until you tell them. The person at the door doesn’t even get the item you want for you, so I don’t get what that’s about?
Then Power City here has a massive outlet store, very easily to social distance. But you walk in and can’t look at anything in store, you have to go to a hatch and shout about 12 feet across the floor to some disinterested staff member about what your looking for and then they get it. And not accepting cash.
Two examples of stores I will not visit when all this is over. WHO has even said cash is a very small risk, so I don’t get the whole cashless thing really.
@Darren Anthony Corr: it costs a business money to deposit cash into the bank. ‘Security’ fees….cheaper to accept card only. I’m in sweden and no shops take cash anymore. Been that way for years. Get used to it.
“Sorry there annoying uncles, aunts and cousins, the aul COVID 19 restrictions your know yourselves. Just put the presents on the door step and back off”
How can they do a six month plan when emergency powers finish on November 9th. They’re already sure they’ll have these renewed. That’s how. Nobody will be able to sustain this limbo until March 2021.
Happy Christmas everyone!
@Twitruser2020: and a happy new year!. 2021 had better got its acts together and be better than the “year that shall not be named”.
This year it will be just me and a Turkey, hopefully one of us will be alive and well.
Yep. I’ve had enough of their bleating on. The bubble is about to burst
Take necessary precautions to keep each other safe, practice social distancing and hand hygiene, wear a mask on public transports, shops and enclosed places.
Everything else is just nonsense. The whole household thing doesn’t even make sense and is unlikely to be enforced anyway. The whole contactless payments only thing that some stores are doing is a joke and the excessive measures taken by certain businesses using Covid as an excuse just to cut corners and save money, I’ll remember you when the pandemic is over.
Great out for avoiding the annual pilgrimage to the in laws gaff
What about Halloween first,will there be no trick or treating!!!
@James Hayes: it’s outdoors and most will be wearing masks anyway
@James Hayes: visions of people dosing kids with hand sanitiser at every gate and placing double wrapped treat size lidl bars into a bag from 6 feet away with one of those mobility aid grabbers. Then leaving the bag of sweets outdoors to quarantine for 3 days
@James Hayes: Bangers going off in my area since August so looks like it’s going ahead.
@James Hayes: will be catapulting mini mars bars from the upstairs window
@James Hayes: that I will not miss! A bonus.
@Maria Hickey-Fagan: excellent comments Maria et all, they all made me giggle. Ya it seem like we’ll be leaving buckets of goodies out by the garden gate.;-)
@InvaderSkoodge: Sound plan. I got out the Halloween window decorations today. Have to have something to look forward to!
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Covid Tuesday, Stay at home Thursday, Social Distance Sunday – Amazon marketing train on the move.
Christmas!!!
Jasus.
Gotta run !
Levels 4 and 5, no Santa I presume…..
@Peter B: You would think he is vulnerable considering his weight and age
Can’t wait to get home to see ye all, oh wait
Oh rite I’ll put a 6 month plan in place and not discuss Christmas….!
Jesus Christ!!!
An excuse to avoid “the most wonderful time of the year”. Instead of a drink and biscuit for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph it will be a facemask and hand sanitiser.
They’ll give us 3 days off then bring out the jackboots for NYE…
Will santa be able to visit houses
I got a frozen turkey in Lidl last new year so I’ll be ok.
Halloween- cancelled
Xmas- cancelled
virus = under control
New Years eve – people ignore rules, Virus takes off again
Mícheál Martin Christmas is a time for families and hell will freeze over before you or your government will say who can & can’t visit my home Christmas or any other time for that matter Gardaí already under Resource and need to be dealing with crime not following up on people who have family or friends in their homes
Why write this in September? Nonsense
Will be the same as every year no change and that’s that.
There’s gonna be panic buying of the turkeys isn’t there !?! Sigh…
Me too, absolutely
have your say