Approved actions to continue the fight in VI Symposium for the Liberation of the Five
In large march, thousands of Holguin on Saturday demanded on behalf of the Cuban people the freedom of the Cuban Five imprisoned in U.S. jails
2010-11-22 | 09:32:41 EST
Holguin.— More than 10,000 Cubans from the Eastern city of Holguin weathered cold rains on Saturday to gather in front of the city’s monument to Che Guevarra to demand freedom for five Cuban antiterrorist fighters who have been incarcerated for more than 12 years in US prisons.
The misguided arrest of the Cuban Five in 1998 and the subsequent travesty of justice lead to their convictions on multiple unsubstantiated charges in 2001. The Cuban Five were dedicated to uncovering plots by ultra-rightwing Cuban-American organizations based in Miami with a long record of terrorist actions against Cuba and the Cuban people.
In a trial plagued with irregularities and held in a highly biased Miami court, the Cuban Five —Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, Antonio Guerrero and René González— were given harsh sentences ranging from 15 years to consecutive life terms plus 15 years. The five Cubans were working to uncover information about terrorist activities being planned and carried out against Cuba by ultra-rightwing organizations based in southern Florida with a long record of terrorist actions against Cuba and the Cuban people. When they turned their information over to authorities they were arrested and have been in jail ever since.
Elizabeth Palmeiro, the wife Ramón Labañino, spoke at the gathering on behalf of the relatives of the Cuban Five. She thanked all those gathered for the international solidarity received by the family members over 12 long years of intense struggle and said she hopes this is the last meeting that will need to be held to obtain freedom for Gerardo, René, Antonio, Fernando and Ramón.
“Let’s hope that there will be no need for more gatherings, but as long as the hostile and aggressive policy of imperialism exists, even after our family members return we will have to redouble our efforts to continue to open doors, hearts and the minds of people that have remained shut as these injustices have prevailed,” said Elizabeth
A UN Working Group reviewing the case of the Cuban Five determined that the trial did not take place in a climate of objectivity and impartiality, which is required in order to conclude on the observance of the standards of a fair trial. The UN report also charges that the Cuban Five were wrongfully held for seventeen months in solitary confinement after their arrest, and that their lawyers were deprived of the opportunity to examine all of the available evidence before the government invoked the Classified Information Protection Act.
The march in Holguin on Saturday brought an end to the Sixth International Symposium on Freedom for the Five and against Terrorism that took place in Holguin with the participation of activists, political representatives, and union and youth leaders from 56 countries.
Geoffrey Bottoms, a British priest who participated at the symposium, also spoke during the gathering, asking US President Barack Obama to honor his Nobel Peace Prize and release the Cuban Five. He added that Obama should take advantage of an historic opportunity to change the course of Cuba-US relations and move into history as one of the great US presidents.
The president of the Cuban Friendship Institute (ICAP), Kenia Serrano, said that the Final Declaration approved during the symposium will serve as a base for new initiatives to work towards the release of the Five.
Final Declaration
The Final Declaration of the Sixth Symposium emphasizes that the case of the Cuban Five is of an eminently political nature and not legal, and that only an extensive and growing international solidarity movement will obtain the acquittal of the five Cubans.
The document denounces the hypocritical stance of US authorities that permit the unjust incarceration of genuine antiterrorist fighters to continue while they allow notorious self-confessed terrorists such as Luis Posada Carriles and Orlando Bosch to walk the streets freely.
Among the future actions to be taken is a call to the US president to release the Cuban Five in the framework of the 17th World Festival of Youths and Students to take place in December 2010 in South Africa.
The World Festival of Youth and Students is an international event, organized by the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY), a leftwing youth organization, jointly with the International Union of Students since 1947. Solidarity, Anti-imperialism, Peace and Friendship are the themes of the 17th World Festival of Youths and Students. This year’s organizers state that youth has always been a vital force in the development of societies. With natural creativity, will of change, transformation and strength, the struggle of youth for freedom, peace and social transformation, for the right to education, employment, democratic rights and peace has always had a significant role in the general struggle for a fair and peaceful world.
Other actions approved in the final declaration are efforts to expand exchanges on the case with parliamentarians, and union, religious and social movement leaders from around the world.
The misguided arrest of the Cuban Five in 1998 and the subsequent travesty of justice lead to their convictions on multiple unsubstantiated charges in 2001. The Cuban Five were dedicated to uncovering plots by ultra-rightwing Cuban-American organizations based in Miami with a long record of terrorist actions against Cuba and the Cuban people.
In a trial plagued with irregularities and held in a highly biased Miami court, the Cuban Five —Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, Antonio Guerrero and René González— were given harsh sentences ranging from 15 years to consecutive life terms plus 15 years. The five Cubans were working to uncover information about terrorist activities being planned and carried out against Cuba by ultra-rightwing organizations based in southern Florida with a long record of terrorist actions against Cuba and the Cuban people. When they turned their information over to authorities they were arrested and have been in jail ever since.
Elizabeth Palmeiro, the wife Ramón Labañino, spoke at the gathering on behalf of the relatives of the Cuban Five. She thanked all those gathered for the international solidarity received by the family members over 12 long years of intense struggle and said she hopes this is the last meeting that will need to be held to obtain freedom for Gerardo, René, Antonio, Fernando and Ramón.
“Let’s hope that there will be no need for more gatherings, but as long as the hostile and aggressive policy of imperialism exists, even after our family members return we will have to redouble our efforts to continue to open doors, hearts and the minds of people that have remained shut as these injustices have prevailed,” said Elizabeth
A UN Working Group reviewing the case of the Cuban Five determined that the trial did not take place in a climate of objectivity and impartiality, which is required in order to conclude on the observance of the standards of a fair trial. The UN report also charges that the Cuban Five were wrongfully held for seventeen months in solitary confinement after their arrest, and that their lawyers were deprived of the opportunity to examine all of the available evidence before the government invoked the Classified Information Protection Act.
The march in Holguin on Saturday brought an end to the Sixth International Symposium on Freedom for the Five and against Terrorism that took place in Holguin with the participation of activists, political representatives, and union and youth leaders from 56 countries.
Geoffrey Bottoms, a British priest who participated at the symposium, also spoke during the gathering, asking US President Barack Obama to honor his Nobel Peace Prize and release the Cuban Five. He added that Obama should take advantage of an historic opportunity to change the course of Cuba-US relations and move into history as one of the great US presidents.
The president of the Cuban Friendship Institute (ICAP), Kenia Serrano, said that the Final Declaration approved during the symposium will serve as a base for new initiatives to work towards the release of the Five.
Final Declaration
The Final Declaration of the Sixth Symposium emphasizes that the case of the Cuban Five is of an eminently political nature and not legal, and that only an extensive and growing international solidarity movement will obtain the acquittal of the five Cubans.
The document denounces the hypocritical stance of US authorities that permit the unjust incarceration of genuine antiterrorist fighters to continue while they allow notorious self-confessed terrorists such as Luis Posada Carriles and Orlando Bosch to walk the streets freely.
Among the future actions to be taken is a call to the US president to release the Cuban Five in the framework of the 17th World Festival of Youths and Students to take place in December 2010 in South Africa.
The World Festival of Youth and Students is an international event, organized by the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY), a leftwing youth organization, jointly with the International Union of Students since 1947. Solidarity, Anti-imperialism, Peace and Friendship are the themes of the 17th World Festival of Youths and Students. This year’s organizers state that youth has always been a vital force in the development of societies. With natural creativity, will of change, transformation and strength, the struggle of youth for freedom, peace and social transformation, for the right to education, employment, democratic rights and peace has always had a significant role in the general struggle for a fair and peaceful world.
Other actions approved in the final declaration are efforts to expand exchanges on the case with parliamentarians, and union, religious and social movement leaders from around the world.
