Afghan hunger strikers charged and remanded
They are charged under the Forcible Entry and Occupation Act and were dealt with one by one at Kilmainham District Court this morning.
The men aged between 18 and 61 will appear in court again on the June 19.
Speaking afterwards, one of the accused, Samander Khan, said he hoped they could all be integrated into Irish society.
The men, who staged a seven-day hunger strike at St Patrick’s Cathedral, have all been remanded on continuing bail and will appear before court again on 19 June.
The men were all charged under section three of the False Entry and Occupation Act. Judge Brigid Reilly granted an application for 13 of the men to return to addresses in Tralee, Limerick, Galway and Cork.
A small demonstration staged by the men’s supporters took place this morning.
It took just under an hour for Judge Reilly to remand all 33 men to a sitting of the court on 19 June.
A date for a hearing has been set in August.
Following the court appearance, a collection of groups strongly criticised the handling of the hunger strike by the Department of Justice.
The group have called for an urgent review of the manner in which the department dealt with the issue.
