IRSP representative Fra Halligan said:

"There is a crisis building within the prisons, Republican Socialist political prisoners are being singled out for degrading treatment by prison authorities. This is especially true of the five IRSP members being held on the word of paid British agent John Bowen.

"The IRSP are calling for the immediate release of the IRSP 5 and pending that, the transfer of all Republican Socialist prisoners to Long Kesh. It is our opinion that these five men are being held as political hostages against a breakdown of the cease-fire."

In conclusion, Mr. Halligan said,

"The IRSP, along with relatives of the IRSP 5, will be mounting a campaign to have the men released. It is quite clear that these men are being singled out and victimised by the British. They are ceasefire hostages. Have the British learned nothing over the past thirty years of conflict, especially within the prisons? Republican Socialist prisoners have always resisted victimisation and criminalisation.