Battle for Release of the Cuban Five Reinforced in France

Declared Honorary Citizens of the Longueau commune in the region of Picardie, the Five Cubans imprisoned in the U.S. have achieved notable recognition in France and Europe.

An international symposium held at the headquarters of the French National Assembly brought together lawyers, congressmen, diplomats and solidarity activists from many nations who agreed on the need to keep up the battle for their liberation.

This is reflected in the Final Declaration of the event which gave an update on the case of Antonio Guerrero, René González, Ramón Labañino, Gerardo Hernandez and Fernando Gonzalez, who will soon turn 13 years' imprisonment for fighting terrorist acts against Cuba.

The mayor of Longueau, Colette Finet, a member of the National Bureau of the French Communist Party, used the forum to announce the future appointment of the five as Honorary Citizens of the commune in the department of Somme.

Lawyers, academics, writers and intellectuals in general, took the opportunity to express their views about the continued hostile policy of Washington against the island and the particular cruelty with the record of the Five.

The issue of the terrorists who planned the actions against Cuba, such as Luis Posada Carriles, the farce of a recent trial in the U.S. and the impunity of the enemies of the Revolution were addressed in depth, reported Prensa Latina.

These and other aspects were detailed by journalists and writers Maurice Lemoine and Salim Lamrani, known for several works of Cuba and Latin America.

Roland Weyl, vice president of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, and Francois Asensi, deputy head of the Group of Friendship France-Cuba in the Lower House, also spoke in the crowded event.

Along with the ambassadors in France of Venezuela Jesús Arnaldo Pérez, and Cuba, Orlando Requeijo, other parliamentarians and personalities from Italy, Britain, Belgium, South Korea and Burkina Fasso, in addition to the host country.

GRANMA