American Association of Jurists for the Release of Cuban Five

HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 18 (ACN) The American Association of Jurists publically urged US president Barack Obama to release the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters held in the United States for 14 years now, and denounced the irregularities of their legal process.

In an open letter, the association addresses the cruel, unjustified and severe sentences given to Gerardo Hernandez, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez and René Gonzalez, internationally known as the Cuban Five.

The jurists denounced the violation of the legal process, which was supposed to be a trial providing the defense team with all guarantees and an impartial jury. They denounced the pressures by Cuban-American ultra-right circles on the government of the United States.

The letter reads that just a simple case was turned into a process driven by political interests and for this reason the US government hid and distorted evidence, such as the NASA satellite images that would put down the charges against Gerardo Hernandez, and the payment of Miami journalists so that they launched a campaign of lies against the defendants, which labeled them as spies.

“The campaign for the freedom of the Cuban Five counts on large support inside and outside the United States with countless voices demanding their release…” the letter points out.

The association urges Obama to make up for the injustice committed against the Five by resorting to good will, wisdom and ethics and get their release.

After having met his prison sentence, Rene Gonzalez was released on October 7, 2011, but he was forced to remain under a three-year probation in US territory.

The open letter was signed by association president Vanessa Ramos, general secretary Hernan Rivadeneira and Consultant Council president Beinusz Szmukler.

The American Association of Jurists is a non-government organization with permanent representation at the United Nations.

COMITÉ LIBANÉS DE SOLIDARIDAD POR LA LIBERACIÓN DE LOS CINCO HÉROES CUBANOS