Belarusian Writers Demand Release of Cuban 5

Minsk, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) The Union of Writers of Belarus demanded today that President Barack Obama release of five Cuban antiterrorist fighters unjustly held in the United States for trying to prevent violent actions against their country.

Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Fernando Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero and Rene Gonzalez have been serving unjust prison terms on U.S. soil for 14 years, Guennadi Pashkov, first secretary of the social organization, reported.

In remarks to the Belta agency, Pashkov states that the Cuban Five did not threaten U.S. security, and only tried to prevent terrorist actions forged in south Florida.

The denunciation of violations of human rights of the Five, "as they are known internationally, and of their families is well explained in a statement by the Union of Belarusian Writers," the intellectual says. The case is full of irregularities, from the initial indictment until the sentence, Pashkov stated in the interview, citing the content of the document.

The White House knows that these antiterrorist fighters contributed to peace, security and freedom of their people, and symbolize the defense of the rights of Cuban citizens to life and protection from terrorism, the source said.

Belta emphasizes the fact that 10 Nobel Prize winners have sent letters to the U.S. president urging him to use his legal and constitutional power to end such cruel punishment.

Different international organizations such as the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the United Nations have also sought justice, the news agency concludes.

PRENSA LATINA