Paul Murphy released from Egyptian custody and expected to return to Ireland tomorrow

LAST UPDATE | 16 Jun

DUBLIN TD PAUL Murphy has been released from his detention by authorities in Egypt.

Earlier today, he was detained for a second time and had his passport taken, People Before Profit said.

He is expected to return to Ireland tomorrow.

Thousands of people, including Murphy, have travelled to Egypt to hold demonstrations at its border with Palestine and take place in the Global March for Gaza. However, Egyptian authorities have detained hundreds of people since.

Murphy’s partner, People Before Profit councillor Jess Spear, said that Murphy had attended a Cairo police station on the advice of the Irish embassy to retrieve his phone this morning after it had been taken from him when he was earlier detained on Friday.

Murphy had subsequently been released late on Friday at Cairo Airport.

From the station today, Murphy had messaged to say that he was concerned that his passport had been taken again and “was told he can’t leave. He just attempted to leave but has been prevented from doing so by the police”, a statement from People Before Profit said. 

Other participants in the Global March to Gaza were also detained, the statement claimed. It is unclear if they were released alongside Murphy this evening.

In his message, Murphy wrote: “They [the police] 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. I just attempted to leave but they said that I cannot leave. I understand that other march participants have also been detained”. 

Spear appealed to Tánaiste Simon Harris to “intervene urgently with the Egyptian authorities”. 

A statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs said: “We can confirm that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance in this case. Consular assistance is provided on a confidential basis and therefore the Department does not comment on the details of individual cases.”