Father raises concerns over Irish activist's trial in Germany

The father of an Irish man on trial in Germany over a so-called 'direct action' protest at the premises of an Israeli military technology company has said he is deeply concerned about his son’s treatment in custody and his access to justice.

Conor Devally’s 32‑year‑old son, Daniel Tatlow‑Devally, is one of five defendants facing trial in Stuttgart over a September 2025 attack on the offices of Elbit Systems by the group Palestine Action Germany.

The five defendants, referred to in media coverage as ‘The Ulm Five,’ have been charged with trespassing, criminal damage, membership of a criminal organisation and the use of symbols which prosecutors say are linked to Hamas, which is designated a terrorist group in Germany.

The activists smashed items and sprayed painted rooms during the attack. They posted footage online as they did it, and say they called and waited on police to arrive to detain them.

The defence team has argued the action was an act of civil disobedience aimed at disrupting what they describe as the company's involvement in war crimes in Gaza.

None have any prior criminal convictions. If found guilty they could face up to five years in prison.

Since September, Mr Tatlow-Devally has been held in high security detention.

"He’s 23 hours a day in a cell," his father, Conor, told Prime Time. "He eats his meals there. His liberties are very minor."

"He’s allowed to see somebody for half an hour every two weeks," he said, "be it by video or in person. That’s the sum total."

Mr Devally said no one was permitted to visit Daniel during his first month in detention.

"For many meetings, he was behind a complete screen... there was no touching of him, of course, and there are two policemen and an interpreter present."

Mr Devally said communication by letter is also tightly controlled.

"When we write to him, it takes five weeks for the letter to get to him," he said. "Because it goes to the prosecution first. They translate it, and at their leisure, finally he gets it."

Prosecution under Section 129

Elbit Systems is considered one of the key weapons systems suppliers to the Israel Defense Forces, it's offices and plants have been targeted by activists from Palestine Action across Europe, including in Ireland.

The five have been charged under Section 129 of the German criminal code, which means they are considered a threat to society, resulting in bail being denied. Prosecutors have estimated the damage caused during the break‑in at around €1 million.

At what was described as a chaotic hearing on Wednesday the defendants' lawyers objected to being unable to directly communicate with their clients, and to the fact the five were held behind a screen rather than in the body of the court.

Eventually the hearing was closed after protests and without progress.

Mr Devally, himself a senior counsel working in the Irish legal system, says his son and the others in the group are protesters who have been prosecuted under the equivalent of the Offences Against the State Act.

He also has concerns about the court process and how the five were presented in court.

"If you dress somebody up like Hannibal Lecter for the media or for the public, they become dangerous in those person’s eyes," he said.

"If you put people behind screens that are usually for the mafia or for organisations that use arms and explosions," he added, "it then makes them look like that."

The families of the defendants and their legal representatives have said they believe their loved ones are being made examples of, to try to ensure such attacks are not repeated in Germany.

"The drama of yesterday is shocking, but it’s consistent with the fact that the prosecution has commenced at a very high level of this [under] Section 129," Mr Devally said.

"It started at a high level of antagonism, maybe, or presumption of something very subversive," he said.

Asked whether he had confidence that his son would receive a fair trial, Mr Devally said: "It’s very hard for me to have that confidence at the moment."

Despite this, Mr Devally described his son as coping better than expected.

"He’s very resilient," he said. "He’s done better than I would have under the circumstances he’s in."

Asked whether he wanted the Irish Government to become involved, Mr Devally said he believed political engagement could be warranted.

"I think it’s delicate for [the Irish] government," he said. "However, there seems to be some political influence within Germany over what prosecution does."

"I think it’s therefore appropriate for politics to come to bear on the German politicians," he said. "And say… this is under our eyes and we don’t admire it. It’s not proportionate."

German prosecutors have said the charges reflect the seriousness of the alleged offences.

The trial is expected to continue over the coming weeks.