Word from the second Irish delegation to Turkey is that they have now arrived safely into Istanbul. However, it must be said that the delegation is controlled from a distance by the watchful eye of the regime's security forces.

The second Irish delegation to travel to the Turkish state, which consists of three prominent members of the IRSP, are staying in a district of the countries capital that houses ex-prisoners and ex-prisoners families who are continuing the 'death fast' against F-Type prisons.

Speaking following a telephone conversation tonight with the delegation now in Turkey, an IRSP spokesperson stated:

"The delegation wanted to make it known that they are safe and well, despite earlier noted difficulties with the regimes security forces."

The spokesperson continued:

"The IRSP delegation are determined to continue on with their planned engagements which involve meeting relatives of those who have already given their lives on death fast and of course those whose lives are at this very minute fading away."

The IRSP spokesperson concluded:

"We can confirm that one of the members of the IRSP delegation is the son of 1981 INLA hunger striker, Micky Devine. This is a fact finding mission by IRSP representatives and what we intend to do is to inform the world as to the horrowing struggle for justice in the prisons of Turkey, in the homes of Turkey and in the streets of Turkey. The hunger strikers remain strong in their resistance and confident that they will win!"

STATEMENT ENDS