FIVE protests are being held in Ireland and across the world today to show solidarity with a Cork volunteer worker, who is being held in a jail in Greece, amid allegations of helping illegal migrants.
Sean Binder, aged 24, from Togher, in Cork, was in Lesbos to assist refugees as part of his work with Emergency Response Centre International.
He met with police voluntarily in August, after being informed that he was a person of interest in relation to the charity’s alleged activities. He is in a jail in Chios, awaiting trial.
His mother, Fanny Binder, says they are working on preparing a case for Sean and his co-accused, who are two of his colleagues from the charity.
Fanny, who is from Germany, but lives in Cork, says that conditions are good in the prison and that Sean is being treated as well as possible. She says her son is trying to keep mentally strong. “He is very focused and strong. He continues to try and help people crossing his path. He has days where he is not so good. He is innocent. It is hard to understand. I am glad that I am there (in Greece) and I can build his spirits up,” she said.
Ms Binder says Irish MEP’s have endeavoured to help her, but they are hampered by the fact that whilst Sean has lived here since he was a young child, he is not an Irish national.
She is very proud of her son, whom she says worked hard at the London School of Economics, after he finished his undergraduate degree. She says he is transparent and honest and that the arrest is not consistent with the values he has espoused his whole life.
Ms Binder told Cork’s 96FM that supporters would gather outside the Greek embassy in Dublin at 1pm today. She is grateful for a number of other protests, which are being held around the world by friends of Sean, who want to support him.
She hopes Sean will be released from prison pending his trial and says he is willing to abide by all the conditions of bail.
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