Tag Archives: Cuban Five

The Cuban Five

Actor Mike Farrell Sends a Message to President Obama

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Originally posted by International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5

This July 5, the actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Mike Farrell, joins the international campaign of the 5th of each month for 5 Cubans and today sent by postal mail to President Obama the following letter:

July 5, 2012

Dear President Obama,

Though I fear your staff protects you from letters such as this, I write in the hope that one of our voices leaks through. I am one of thousands of people around the world who ask that you make a humanitarian gesture that is also a meaningful step to reduce international tensions: grant Executive Clemency and cause the release of the Cuban 5, who have been wrongly held in our prisons for nearly 14 years.

Together with a number of colleagues in the arts who speak as Actors and Artists United for the Freedom of the Cuban 5, I ask for the release of these five men: Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, Ramón Labañino Salazar, Rene González Sehwerert, Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez and Fernando González Llort.

Release them because they are sons, husbands, brothers, poets, pilots, college graduates and artists who have committed no crime against the United States.

Release them because they came to this country unarmed and never posed a threat of any kind to US National Security.

Release them because they came here only to monitor the activities of violent Cuban exiles who, operating from bases in Miami of which our government is well aware, were planning violent actions against innocent people in Cuba.

Release them because they were trying to prevent more brutal acts against their country and save innocent lives.

As you’re aware, Mr. President, yesterday was our Independence Day, a day many politicians use to celebrate our nation’s laws, its history, and its people. For many of these same politicians, supporting the so-called “war on terror” is used as a way to demonstrate their patriotism.

That being so, it is an act of profound hypocrisy for our government to continue the incarceration of these heroic men who put themselves at risk to stop the very terrorism we claim to find so abhorrent.

Therefore, I respectfully ask that you to reverse this mockery of justice and use the power conferred on you by our Constitution to do the right thing and allow the Cuban 5 to return home to their loved ones.

Sincerely,

Mike Farrell

READ THE ORIGINAL LETTER

Mike Farrell is a member of U.S. Actors and Artists United for the Freedom of the Cuban 5

REMEMBER: THE 5TH OF JULY FOR THE CUBAN 5

NEXT THURSDAY JULY 5TH, CALL THE WHITE HOUSE AND JOIN THE WORLDWIDE DEMAND FOR THE FREEDOM OF THE FIVE.

DIFFERENT WAYS TO REACH THE WHITE HOUSE

By phone: 202-456-1111

If calling from outside the United States, dial first the International Area Code
+ 1 (US country code) followed by 202-456-1111

By Fax: 202-456-2461

If fax is sent from outside the United States, dial first the International Area
Code + 1 (US country code) followed by 202-456-2461

To send a telegram

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500
EE.UU.

July 5 for the Cuban 5, Actor Mike Farrell Sends a Message to President Obama

Cuban Revolution, The Cuban Five

ROBERTO GONZALEZ, PRESENTE!

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La muerte de Roberto Gonzales nos llena de mucha tristeza a todos los que conocemos de su arduo trabajo que como abogado llevo a cabo por la liberación de los 5 héroes cubanos. Los compañeros de Casa de las Américas de NYC, queremos expresarle nuestras condolencias tanto al pueblo cubano como a su esposa, hijas y demás familiares por tan valiosa pérdida.
Que las fuerzas positivas del cosmos estén del lado de todos en este momento de dolor.

‘’El verdadero ser no mira de qué lado se vive mejor, sino de qué lado está el deber’’, el compañero Roberto González cumplió a cabalmente con este pronunciamiento de nuestro apóstol, José Martí.

Casa de las Américas de NY,
Nancy Cabrero
Presidenta

Story below, Originally posted by International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5

June 22- Roberto González Sehwerert, brother of René died this morning.

Roberto fought relentlessly since the first day that the unjust imprisonment of the Cuban 5 was made public. As a lawyer he made extraordinary contributions to this cause, denouncing the case brilliantly throughout the world. Thanks to his active participation, he was able to gather the solidarity of many lawyers, jurists and supportive friends from all over the world.

We send the warmest embrace to his loving wife Sarita, his sons Roberto and René, his parents Irma and Candido and his nieces Irmita and Ivette.

For his brother René, he will be forced to be without the embrace of his loved ones in this time of enormous pain. While the early departure of Roberto hurts us deeply, the unfair imprisonment and mandatory exile of Rene hurts us too.

The pain of such a good and dignified person like Roberto, leaving us so soon, can only mean that we must carry on the fight to free the Cuban 5 as Roberto did until his last breath.

ROBERTO GONZALEZ, PRESENTE!!!

The Cuban Five

Martin Garbus speaks on new motion for the Five‏

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Originally posted by National Committee To Free The Cuban Five

Martin Garbus speaks on new motion for the Five‏
June 13 Press Conference:

Attorney Martin Garbus speaks to the press about the latest legal development in the case of the Five

Listen to the audio below

Renowned lawyer Martin Garbus, called “legendary, one of the best trial lawyers in the country” by Time magazine, has joined the team of lawyers appealing the convictions of the Cuban Five. Last week Garbus and Supreme Court specialist Thomas Goldstein, together with long-time Cuban Five lawyer Richard Klugh, filed a motion in U.S. Southern District Court, seeking an evidentiary hearing and the right to discovery on behalf of Gerardo Hernández, in his Habeas Corpus appeal. This motion relates specifically to the issue of U.S. government payments to members of the Miami media during the trial of the Five, journalists whose coverage helped to add to the already poisonous atmosphere in Miami against the Five.

Yesterday, June 13, Garbus held a press conference that was facilitated by the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five. He noted that “A lot of that pressure [to indict to the Five, and then to indict Gerardo Hernández for conspiracy to commit murder] was created by the media…So in large part that media is responsible for the very indictments themselves. And then of course the media is responsible for saturating the jury pool and saturating, of course, the jury that sat on the case.”

Exposure of the government’s payments to Miami journalists has been a key focus of research conducted by the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five during the past three years, in collaboration with the Partnership for Civl Justice Fund and Liberation newspaper. The presence of Miami journalists on the U.S. government payroll, who purported to report as “independent” press, goes to the heart of the unjust conviction of the Five. The Five were not only victims of a politically-motivated prosecution, but a government-funded propaganda operation as well.

Listen to the complete presentation by Martin Garbus, followed by a question-and-answer session with the press, by clicking the link below.

Listen to the press conference

Read the motion

Background on the paid journalists

Help fund our continued research

The Cuban Five

Father’s Day Call in Week

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Cuban 5 Father’s Day Call-in Week!

Originally posted by The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5

The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5 is asking all freedom loving people to call President Obama the week of Father’s Day to ask him to free the Cuban 5; five U.S. held political prisoners incarcerated for 13 years for fighting against terrorism in Cuba and the United States.

Remind President Obama that for the past 13 years these innocent men have been separated from their families and friends. Tell him that he has the power to reunite these men with their loved ones!

Call every day! Ask your friends and family members to call in as well! Thousands of messages will let President Obama know that there is a mass movement calling for the freedom of these five men!

Make your call the week of Mon. June 11th through

Sun. June 17th

(FATHER’S DAY)!

Call President Obama at 202-456-1111!

Sample Script (optional):

This message is for President Obama, I ask that you use your executive power to free the Cuban 5. For 13 years, the Cuban 5 have been unjustly incarcerated for protecting their homeland Cuba and the United States from terrorist actions.

They have the support of various reputable actors, academics and civil rights leaders, such as: Danny Glover, Harry Belafonte, Cindy Sheehan and Angela Davis. As well as the support of thousands of people throughout the United States and the world.

Only you have the power to set these men free! Please end this long standing injustice by sending these men home.

Thank you!