A protest for the release of Walli Ullah Safi, an Afghan national imprisoned in Cloverhill prison, took place outside the Department of Justice and Equality today.
The 21 year old migrant was found on the side of the M7 road after travelling from Afghanistan.
During the prison riot on Wednesday, Ullah was held captive by fellow prisoners and was badly beaten.
He doesn't speak any English and protesters are calling for his immediate release from prison.
Anne Mulhall from Anti-Racism Network Ireland (ARN) believes Ullah should never have been arrested in the first place. She wants him released from prison as soon as possible:
"What we're hoping from this protest is to put pressure on the authorities to actually more swiftly in this case. To be held in prison really having committed no criminal offence, for two weeks, is just not unacceptable."
One protester, David Flemming said he was there to support Ullah and others like him:
"I'm here in support of Walli Ullah, in support of all migrants trying to come to Ireland to try and better their life for themselves."
Another protester, Katie Connell, blames the Irish state for the way this situation have unfolded:
"He's 21, he's really young. He's obviously probably very, very scared. And now he's been assaulted. He didn't know where he was. He doesn't speak the language. He's in Cloverhill prison. He may not even know that we're out here in support."
Sinn Fein's Lynn Boylan thinks the government need to deal with this situation:
"What happened in Cloverhill prison to this very vulnerable individual, wallie, is just barbaric. He should never have been put into that position in the first place, into the prison. And certainly given that he's now suffered a viscous assault that he's actually been put back into the prison is just beggars belief."
A spokesperson from the Muslim community is determined not to take sides in the situation until he knows the full story. He wants to go out to the prison and talk to Ullah in his native language:
"We just want to go and meet Walli Ullah and meet him face to face and find out what is really going on".
The protest was peaceful, and attendees wore blue scarfs as a symbol of togetherness.
