Paul Murphy, TD was detained again by Egyptian authoritie
TD Paul Murphy detained for second time in Egypt
Tallaght TD Paul Murphy has been detained for a second time by Egyptian authorities.
It’s understood he is being detained this Monday afternoon, June 16 in a Cairo police station.
The People Before Profit TD was among a number of Irish people who were detained and had their passports and phones confiscated while travelling through Egypt on the way to Gaza on Friday, June 13.
He flew to Cairo last Thursday to take part in a Global March to Gaza with thousands of delegates from countries around the world, including up to 50 other Irish citizens, before being detained by Egyptian authorities.
He was released late that evening near Cairo Airport but his phone was not returned to him.
This Monday afternoon at around 2.30pm Irish time, Deputy Murphy presented himself at Abdeen police station in Cairo “on the advice of the Irish embassy…to enquire about my phone that they took”.
“They took my passport again, had me talk to the secret police and left me in a room with an interpreter. They claim they are looking for my phone,” he said in a post on X.
“I just attempted to leave but they said that I cannot leave. I understand other march participants have also been detained.”
People Before Profit posted a statement through Deputy Murphy’s social media accounts that his replacement phone had been taken off him and that they had lost contact with the Tallaght TD.
Jess Spear, PBP councillor for Tallaght-Central and Deputy Murphy’s partner has appealed to Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris to “ensure that Paul and all the Global March to Gaza participants are released, have their passports returned and are allowed to continue their humanitarian mission to try and get aid to the people of Gaza”.
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said that they could confirm they are “providing consular assistance in this case”, but that “consular assistance is provided on a confidential basis and therefore the Department does not comment on the details of individual cases”.
