Barry McElduff, Tyrone MLA and Sinn Féin Ard Comhairle member, will address a candlelight vigil for the Colombia Three, in Ferns County Wexford, on Wednesday night (Feb 5th) at 8.30pm. Barry McElduff has been to Colombia, to visit the three Irishmen in Bogota jail. Their trial resumes there on Wednesday.
Also attending the vigil will be Cristín McCauley, wife of Martin McCauley, who has been held in prison for almost two years, along with Niall Connolly and James Monaghan.
Speaking ahead of the vigil in Ferns, Wexford Councillor Anthony Kelly has expressed his concerns for the possibility of the men receiving a fair trial.
Cllr Kelly said: "Having held these three Irishmen, who were observing the peace process in Colombia, for 18 months and having had all that time to construct and present a case against these men, the prosecution failed to prosecute the case.
The men should have been released and deported. Instead the prosecution are being given a second chance.
"The Colombian government broke assurances given to the Irish government that these men would not be moved from Bogota. They transferred them to Combita prison, three hours away where access to their family and their lawyers has been restricted.
"Given the farcical nature of the first trial, and the political pressures being put on the single judge, non-jury court, the likelihood that these men can receive a fair trial is very remote."
