Sir, - We the undersigned wish, on humanitarian grounds, to bring to public attention the plight of the Irishman Colin Martin, imprisoned for four years now in Thailand, who has contracted TB in Chon Buri prison.
We acknowledge that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen, is working on the case and has expressed to the Thai Foreign Ministry the wish that Colin Martin's appeal be dealt with as quickly as possible. The new ambassador in the area, Bobby McDonagh, has also taken up the case. A leading lawyer has been retained to represent Mr Martin in Bangkok.
But we are aware that this matter has not received the media attention, and consequently the public interest it deserves, here at home. Mr Martin is charged with the murder of a New Zealander, Mr Bert Holdsworth, and claims to be innocent. For the first 21 months of his imprisonment, he was shackled in irons day and night.
There has so far been no move from the Thai authorities to speed up his appeal.
We are asking that everything possible is done at diplomatic level to hasten Colin Martin's appeal hearing. We are asking that our fellow writers and journalists, as well as the general public, express an interest in the case. - Yours, etc.,
Mara Rainwater, Chair, Board of Governors, Irish Writers' Centre,
Robert Greacen, poet, critic,
Liam MacUistin, ·rscΘala∅, file, drβmad≤ir,
Miriam Gallagher, author, screenwriter,
Fred Johnston, poet, novelist,
Eamon Kelly, playwright, editor.