Key facts
- A delegation of Irish politicians has urged the Irish government to pressure Germany regarding the trial of pro-Palestinian activists.
- The activists, including an Irish defendant, are on trial in Stuttgart for an attack on an Israeli arms company.
- The Irish defendant is reportedly held in harsh conditions, with 23 hours a day in his cell and limited visitation.
- Lawyers for the defendants claim that glass barriers in the courtroom impede their clients' right to representation.
- The activists face charges including trespassing, destruction of property, and membership of a criminal organization.
- Irish politicians have requested that the Irish prime minister raise these concerns with the German chancellor during his upcoming visit.
A delegation of Irish politicians has called on the Irish government to intervene in the trial of five pro-Palestinian activists in Germany, known as the 'Ulm 5', including an Irish national, Daniel Tatlow-Devally. The politicians urged Dublin to send observers to the high-security trial and to raise concerns about Tatlow-Devally's detention conditions with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his upcoming visit.
Mairéad Farrell of Sinn Féin, part of the seven-member delegation, described Tatlow-Devally's treatment as "shocking," noting he spends 23 hours a day in a small cell with very limited visitation. The activists are accused of trespassing and causing approximately €1 million in damage at a site owned by Israel's Elbit Systems in Ulm last September, shouting pro-Palestinian slogans. Videos posted online claimed responsibility for the attack, aimed at protesting Germany's support for Israel.
Tatlow-Devally told the court that the group was motivated by "urgent humanitarian concerns" to disrupt Elbit's arms deliveries to Israel. Lawyers for the defendants have also raised concerns about the glass barriers in the courtroom, arguing they hinder the clients' ability to communicate freely with their legal representatives and participate fully in the trial. The defendants face charges including trespassing, destruction of property, and membership of a criminal organization, which allows for pre-trial detention.
Court representatives maintain that the detention conditions are warranted due to the severity of the charges and a flight risk. The delegation emphasized the "crucial" need for Irish government envoys to attend hearings regularly. The delegation included MPs Richard Boyd Barrett and Ruth Coppinger, Barry Ward, Duncan Smith, Senator Patricia Stephenson, and MEP Lynn Boylan.