AI Rejects Injustice against The Cuban Five

London, Mar 8 (Prensa Latina) Amnesty International (AI) ratified today its doubts about the impartiality of the trial that gave harsh prison sentences in the United States to five anti-terrorist Cuban fighters and reiterated its call to revise the case to repair injustices committed.

Speaking in London before an international commission investigating the case of The Cuban Five, Angela Wright, a representative of AI, said that these men (Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González and René González) were tried without enjoying the most basic rights, like due process.

She said serious concerns are included in a report presented by AI in 2010 that remain unsolved, like pressure upon the jury amid a negative environment for Cuba in Miami and the court's lack of impartiality.

She also recalled denunciation made about payments to Miami-based journalists to spread information against Cuba and discredit the defendants.

Wright also recalled that a specialized UN committed ruled that there was not due process in the case of The Cuban Five, as these men are internationally known, and the principles of impactiality and equal treatment, measures and circumstances por the parties involved were violated.

Given the urgency of the case, mainly related to Gerardo Hernandez, unfairly given to two life sentences, Wright said that "we will continue with the appeals," and demanded US authorities to revise the case and "repair the injustices."

Of these five Cuban heroes, Gerardo, Antonio and Ramon remain in prison after Rene and Fernando fully served their sentences and returned to Cuba.

Cuban Hero Denounces US-Based Terrorism against Cuba

London, Mar 7.- Anti-terrorist Cuban fighter René González denounced today US-based groups that perpetrate terrrorist actions against Cuba and called for intensifying the demand for the release of his comrades still imprisoned in the United States.

Gonzalez testified via Skype to an international commission gathered here to investigate the case of the five anti-terrorist Cuban fighters arrested by US authorities in 1998 for monitoring Florida-based terrrorist groups operating against Cuba.

Gonzalez left prison two years ago after fully serving a harsh prison sentence and returned to Cuba in 2013 after giving up his US citizenship. Fernando Gonzalez served his over 15-year prison sentence and returned to Cuba a week ago.

Their comrades Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerrero and Ramon Labanino are still in prison.

They are all internationally known as The Cuban Five.

Gonzalez gave names and details about groups and individuals committed to plan and execute terrorist attacks against Cuba.

He cited the Cuban-American National Foundation, Brothers to the Rescue and the Democracy Movement, as well as notorious terrorists Luis Posada Carriles, Orlando Bosch, Jose Basulto and others.

In response to questions from the commissioners, he explained the violations of due process and irregularities committed against The Cuban Five since the moment of their detention.

In this regard, he refered to the illegal classification of all documents related to the case and the conditions of their imprisonment, aspects that were denounced by a UN body and International Amnesty.

He reiterated that The Cuban Five were not in the United States to harm anyone, but to prevent terrorist actions against human life and properties.

The three commissioners Yogesh Sabharwal (India), Phillipe Texcier (France) and Zac Jaccob (South Africa) lamented Rene Gonzalez' absence in today's hearing due to Britain's refusal to grant him a visa to come to London.

You are a man of courage and great principles and morale, said Judge Jaccob, an ex member of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, in his closing speech at the hearing, which was applauded by more than 300 people present at the London College of Law. (Prensa Latina)

British Government Criticized After Denying Visa to Cuban Anti-terrorist

London, Mar 8 (Prensa Latina) The British journal The Guardian published today a protest letter against the UK government´s decision to deny Cuban anti-terrorist fighter René González an entry visa to the country. The letter is signed by Labor Party deputy Diane Abbot and National Union of Teachers general secretary Christine Blower.

The letter calls on authorities to revise the measure, highlighting that Gonzalez is the main guest of an international investigative committee in session here on the case of the Cuban Five.

The denial of the visa constitutes a political action, says the letter which also demands the measure to be lifted as a sign of transparency and openness.

Gonzalez is one of the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters who were arrested in the United States in 1998 while monitoring terrorist actions by Florida-based anti-Cuba groups and was recently released from prison after serving his sentence.

Fernando González, another member of The Cuban Five, also fully served his sentence and returned to Cuba. Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero and Ramón Labañino remain in U.S. jails.

The investigative commission, scheduled to conclude today in London, is made up by former Indian justice minister Yogesh Sabharwal, former South Africa´s Constitutional Court judge Zac Jacoob and France´s Court of Cassation judge Phillipe Texier.

Some 300 participants from Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, the U.K., the U.S., Sweden, Vietnam, Canada, Spain, Italy, Norway, Romania, El Salvador, Chile and Cuba are attending the hearing.

US Protection of Terrorist Posada Carriles Denounced

London, Mar 7 (Prensa Latina) The US protection to Florida-based counter-revolutionary groups operating against Cuba was broadly expounded today before an international commission investigating the case of the five anti-terrorist Cuban fighters held in US prisons for over fifteen years now.

The case of notoroius terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, the mastermind of the blowing up of a Cuban airliner in 1976 killing 73 people on board, who now lives without any restriction in Miami, emerged as a clear example in this regard.

This is a man wanted by Venezuelan justice since the 80s, accused for the attack at the plane, who escaped from jail thanks to the Cuban American National Foundation, said ex president of Cuban Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon.

Alarcon appeared today before an international commission investigating in London the case of the anti-terrorist Cuban fighters, known as The Cuban Five, unfairly held in US prisons. Alarcon said that US authorities created great confusion around international terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, despite his worldwide circulation by Interpol.

Washington invented a whole migratory affairs-related tall tale to fail to comply with a UN Security Council Resolution adopted in 2011 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Under that resolution, if any person accused of terrorism who is on the run appears in a country, the authorities have to send him/her back to the place from where he escaped or judge him/her for the crime committed, said Alarcon.

Jurists Demand U.S. Release of Cuban Antiterrorists

London, Mar 9 (Prensa Latina) An international commission of jurists demanded that U.S. President Barack Obama pardon the Cuban antiterrorist fighters unjustly sentenced in the United States and release the three of them who still remain in prison.

Their release should be immediate and unconditional, according to the preliminary conclusions of judges who are investigating here the case of the Cuban antiterrorist fighters arrested in 1998 as they tried to prevent attacks on Cuba by terrorist groups.

According to the testimonies heard here, said the commissioners, none of them committed or tried to commit acts of violence or endangered the United States or its government.

They also stated that The Five, as they are known internationally, did not enjoy the basic human rights of a fair and clear trial by an independent and impartial court.

The Five were under a regime of solitary confinement for 17 months before the trial, and had no sufficient access to the documents related to their cause to prepare their defense, the commissioners noted.

They stressed that the trial was held in Miami, "where a fair trial could not be guaranteed," and emphasized the allegations about the paymentm made by the U.S. government to local reporters to publish prejudicial information against The Five.

The judges suggested that President Obama's pardon of the Five would have a significant impact on the normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba, as well as on peace and global justice.

The investigative commission was comprised of former Indian Justice Minister Yogesh Sabharwal, Zac Yaccob, former judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, and the judge of France's Court of Appeals, Phillipe Texier.

Cuban Women Ratify Commitment to Socialist Model

Havana, Mar 8 (Prensa Latina) General Secretary of the Women Federation (FMC), Teresa Amarelle, ratified today Cuban women''s commitment to the country''s leadership in the construction of Socialism.

During the final plenary session of the 9th Congress of the FMC, Amarelle said that the FMC members support the socioeconomic updating process implemented to contribute to the prosperity and sustainability of the model defended by the country.

For this purpose we need to increase the quality of the political and ideological work within the organization, taking into account the members' contributions from their homes and workplaces, including those in new forms of private and cooperative management promoted by Cuba, she said.

More than 60 percent of the labor, productive force in Cuba are women.

Cuba's top female leader said that the work of the Federation is focused on fighting social indisciplines and corruption, as well as on preventive and educational tasks.

Amarelle ratified the organization's solidarity with all women worldwide atill claiming for full gender equality and inclusion in their societies and noted that in Cuba our integration in all activities is a result of longstanding tradition of women struggle from colonial times.

She said this congress has helped identify the organization's problems and potentials in order to assume as new work projections.

The national committee and leadership of the FMC --elected Friday-- will be presented in this final session.

Machado Ventura Participates in Final Session of FMC Congress

HAVANA, Cuba, Mar 8 (acn) Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, second secretary of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party and vice-president of the councils of State and Ministers, participated in the final session of the 9th Congress of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC).

The forum brought together over 370 delegates and close to 120 guests at Havana’s Convention Center, where they analyzed vital issues for the FMC and society, such as the defense of human and revolutionary values, the confrontation of social indiscipline, women’s participation in the economy and their promotion to posts of responsibility.

Also present at the meeting was Esteban Lazo, member of the Politburo and president of the National Assembly of the People’s Power (Parliament).

Likewise, delegates discussed and approved the Central Report of the forum, so the work of the organization continues in tune with the Guidelines of the Economic and Social Policy of the Party and the Revolution, and with the National Follow-Up Plan of the 4th World Conference on Women’s Rights.

The new Secretariat and the National Committee of the FMC, elected by way of direct and secret vote, were presented.