What is Their Current Situation?
By Tamara Hansen
2006-Today: the more recent struggle for the Freedom of the 5!
On August 20th 2006, a threejudge
panel of the 11th Circuit
Court of Appeals overturned the
charges and convictions against
the Cuban 5 and they were granted
a new trial outside of Miami. The
three Appeals Court judges ruled
that they were originally sentenced
excessively, and that there was no
evidence proving that the three men
had ever obtained or transmitted
any top-secret information. This
was a huge victory for the 5 Cuban
Heroes and justice seeking people
around the world. However,
exactly one year later in August
2007, after immense pressure from
US Attorney General Roberto
González, the full twelve judge
panel of the same court reversed
the favourable decision of the three
judges. This meant the case would
continue in Miami where there is
no possibility of a fair trial.
So the lawyers of the 5 Cuban
Heroes went back to court to
argue against some of the most
important manufactured charges
against the 5. This includes the
charge of “conspiracy to commit
murder” laid against Gerardo
Hernández. On June 4th 2008, the
11th Circuit Court of Appeals in
Atlanta released another decision
to uphold the unjust convictions
against the 5 anti-terrorist Cuban
Heroes. The verdict of “guilty” was
upheld on all counts, from the minor
charges to the outrageous charge of
“conspiracy to commit murder”.
Cuba made an request to the 11th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in
Atlanta to reconsider the decision
of June 4th 2008. On September
2nd 2008, the unfavourable June
4th decision was upheld by the
appeals court. This means, Gerardo
Hernández is still faced with 2 life
sentences plus 15 years and René
González for 15 years. However,
they did order that three of the
Cuban 5 be re-sentenced. Antonio
(life plus 10 years), Ramón (life plus
18 years), and Fernando (19 years),
though they are being re-sentenced
by the same judge in Miami that
condemned them originally.
September 12th 2008 marked the
10th year of unjust imprisonment
for the 5 Cuban Heroes. The US
government is using these 5 men as
part of their longstanding and brutal
campaign to undermine the human
rights of the Cuban people. This
campaign includes the US criminal
and immoral blockade on Cuba as
well as the US-sponsored terrorism
against Cuba.
The US government is paving the
way for continued Miami-based
terrorism and attacks against the
Cuban people. As long as the
Cuban 5 are in prison, the truth they
uncovered will remain behind bars
and the anti-Cuba Miami Mafia
is free to operate and continue to
attack Cuba with impunity. The
US government must end this
aggression, jail the anti-Cuba
terrorists operating within US
borders and free these 5 men.
In this extreme travesty of justice,
the time to act is now. Justice and
freedom for the Cuban 5 will only
come through work on the streets.
The US government needs to know
that people all over the world and
in the United States know about the
case of the 5 and demands justice.
As human and peace-loving people
it is our job to join the call and
demand freedom for the 5 Heroes.
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