Irish Delegation Urges Dublin to Observe German Trial of Pro-Palestinian Activists

A cross-party Irish delegation attended a high-security hearing in Stuttgart concerning five activists—known as the “Ulm 5”—charged with trespassing, property destruction and membership of a criminal organisation after they entered an Elbit Systems site in Ulm and damaged equipment. German prosecutors say the attack caused roughly €1 million in damage. The defendants face up to five years’ imprisonment if convicted. Pre-trial detention was extended on the basis of a flight-risk assessment, despite the six-month statutory limit.

The Guardian

The activists, who hold British, Irish, German and Spanish citizenship, are being held in cells described as 5 × 2 metres, with limited visitation and a “glass wall” that allegedly hampers communication with counsel. Lawyers for the group have argued that the barrier infringes on the right to effective representation. Court officials maintain that the detention conditions are justified given the severity of the charges.

The Guardian

Members of the delegation—including Sinn Féin’s Mairéad Farrell, People Before Profit-Solidarity MPs Richard Boyd Barrett and Ruth Coppinger, Fine Gael’s Barry Ward, Labour’s Duncan Smith, Social Democrat senator Patricia Stephenson and MEP Lynn Boylan—urged Taoiseach Micheál Martin to raise the case with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his upcoming visit. Farrell urged Martin to bring up the Ulm 5 case when Merz meets Irish officials for talks focused on Dublin’s six-month EU presidency, which began on 1 July. The delegation emphasized the need for regular Irish observers at the trial until a verdict is delivered.

The Guardian

“I was quite shocked by the treatment that he is receiving. He is 23 hours a day in his cell,” — Mairéad Farrell, of Sinn Féin, a member of the seven-member delegation

The Guardian