Supporters of Ibrahim Halawa will hold a protest on O’Connell Street at six o'clock this evening, ahead of his tenth trial date in Egypt.
The Firhouse native will appear in court on Tuesday, two days after he turns 20 and 2 years after his arrest in Cairo during political protests.
Today’s event was organised by Amnesty International, Executive director is Colm O’Gorman:
"He's now spent three birthdays in an Egyptian prison cell awaiting trial on cut and paste trumped up charges in a grossly unfair trial process in Egypt. So we're hugely concerned for this young Irish man, he shouldn't have spent a month in prison, never mind two and a half years".
"To be in a cell couped up in a cramped prison cell, without even a bed to sleep in. To have been there for now a number of years, facing into his third birthday being detained in those conditions. The impact on on his physical and psychological health is very significant, I cannot imagine what this is like for him".
Ibrahim’s best friend, Anas Djebarrai, told 98fm news that it’s frustrating for them that he’s still in jail:
"It's just another quiet birthday like the other two that went by, I'm just going to have to sit there. We'll probably meet up with a few friends and sit and have a talk and reminisce about the old days".
