Organizations demand freedom for Cuban Five

[XXPANTHAXX]

HAVANA--Several US organisations demanded on Wednesday the release of
the five Cuban anti-terrorists imprisoned in that country, pointing out
that they are innocent of the charges pressed against them.

The declaration, signed by the US National and International Free the
Five Committees, the Marti Alliance, the Antonio Maceo Brigade, the
Alliance of Workers of the Cuban Community, and the Jose Marti
Association, assures that the case was considered a political issue
since the beginning.

The statement underlines that the legal case against Antonio
Guerrero, Ramon Labañino, Rene Gonzalez, Gerardo Hernandez and
Fernando Gonzalez never had anything to do with justice, hence the harsh
and unjust sentences imposed on them, the Prensa Latina news agency
reports.

The signatories committed themselves to maintain and strengthen their
struggle for the immediate release of the Cuban patriots. The
declaration also reads that, on Tuesday, October 13, the Court of
Florida’s Southern District imposed an unjust sentence on Antonio
Guerrero, when condemning him to 21 years and 10 months in prison.

That sentence, stronger than the one agreed on by the defence and the
district attorney’s office for the re-sentencing hearing, was due to the
fact that Miami judge Joan Lenard did not listen to the recommendations
made by the government and the lawyers.

Tony had already been condemned by that same court to one life sentence
plus 10 years in prison, which was later vacated by the Court of Appeals
of Atlanta’s 11th Circuit, for considering it excessive and contrary to
legal norms in force.

Fernando Gonzalez and Ramon Labañino are also waiting for their
respective re-sentencing hearings which were postponed by the judge at
the request of the defence. — ACN.

In September, 2008, the Full Panel of the Court of Appeals of Atlanta’s
11th Circuit overturned the previous sentences of these three
anti-terrorists for considering them incorrect, resultant from a biased
legal process. —ACN.