Vol. 73/No. 29      August 3, 2009

Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, Antonio Guerrero, and René González—known as the Cuban Five—were in the United States to keep the Cuban government informed on the activities of armed counterrevolutionary groups that operate out of south Florida, carrying out bombings, shootings, and other violent attacks on Cuba with Washington’s complicity.

In addition to denying spousal visitations to Hernández and to René González, the five have been subjected to grotesque violations of their rights. This includes the FBI burglarizing their homes, the use of secret evidence by the prosecution, the exclusion of Blacks from the jury, being detained in solitary confinement for 17 months prior to their trial, and more. (See article on page 6.)

On June 15 the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of the case despite receiving the largest number of friend-of-the-court briefs ever submitted to the court requesting review of a criminal conviction.

On July 12, attorneys for the five explained the next steps for the case in an interview with Radio Havana Cuba.

The attorneys said that the legal team is currently preparing for the resentencing of Guerrero, Labañino, and Fernando González. A federal appeals court threw out their sentences in June 2008 on the basis that they were excessive. Resentencing will take place on October 13.

“We are optimistic that the judge will take into account the horrible effect that the long terms of imprisonment have had on the five and their families, the recognition from the international community of all the flaws in the case, and will impose a sentence that is substantially shorter,” said attorney Thomas Goldstein.

The attorneys pointed out that the case also has a political character and noted that the five have received support from prominent individuals and organizations around the world.

In a July 15 press release, the National Assembly of Cuba condemned the decision of the U.S. State Department to deny entry to Pérez. It said Hernández is subject to “unjust imprisonment in the United States for having fought, peacefully and unarmed, against the actions of anti-Cuban terrorist groups that have always been supported and had the patronage and protection of successive U.S. governments, including the present administration.”
 
 
Related articles:
How U.S. gov’t framed Cuban revolutionary
Facts of Cuba’s ’96 downing of rightist planes  
 
 
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