Hooded man and dissident republican Kevin Hannaway has died at the age of 77 after a short illness.
The West Belfast man was one of 14 men who were tortured by the British state when they were interned in 1971 with some of those being told thrown from a helicopter after being told they were at a high altitude despite being only feet from the ground.
Other techniques used against the men included being deprived of sleep, food and water; being subjected to loud noise and being forced to stand in stressful positions with the Supreme Court ruling in 2021 that the methods would today be described as "torture".
Mr Hannaway remained active in dissident republican activity after the peace process and in 2018 he was convicted by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin and sentenced to three years in prison for knowingly rendering assistance to the ‘IRA’, and assisting in interviewing people involved in ‘IRA’-organised activities in Dublin back in August 2015.
In a joint statement issued on behalf of Saoradh, the Irish Republican Welfare Assocation and wider "Republican Movement", Mr Hannaway was described as a "lifelong Belfast Republican, former POW and IRA volunteer".
"Kevin was a tireless activist for the Republican struggle, and the plight of Republican Prisoners and their families was to the fore for Kevin who himself had been imprisoned in recent years," they said.
"A proud anti-imperialist, Kevin did not stand idly by in the face of occupation and oppression, he took the conscious decsion to be a committed and dedicated revolutionary soldier. Right up until his death he was a volunteer of the Irish Republican Army.
"A courageous and disciplined Irish Republican, Kevin Hannaway was respected across the Republican spectrum.
"Kevin will be sadly missed by his family, friends and comrades. Our heartfelt thoughts and sympathies are with Kevin’s family at this difficult time."
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