" The Guardian

The Guardian 22 October, 2008

The ""Cuban 5"":
Your urgent support needed!




Five Cuban men went to Miami to gather information on anti-Cuban terrorist groups in order to protect their homeland and its people. The CIA had been waging a long covert war against Cuba which had already killed almost 3,500 people. The five Cubans committed no violent acts, harmed no one and did not work against the US Government.

They were anti-terrorists but the US Government arrested them and charged them with terrorism, put them in solitary confinement, dragged them before a court in Miami where they could not possibly get a fair trial, found them guilty in a political trial and sentenced them to jail for the rest of their lives.

Two of those five brave men have not been allowed visits from their wives for 10 years. In other cases relatives can wait several years for visas to visit, only to be deported once they arrive in the US.

Petty cruelties and denial of their human rights are constantly inflicted on the Cuban 5 and their families.

Now a special point has been reached in the worldwide campaign for their freedom. Their last legal appeal is for the US Supreme Court to consider their case. In early December they will seek leave to apply to the Supreme Court. And at that time there may also be a new US President.

They need your solidarity now!

Media blackout

No mainstream media in the US or Australia has covered the story of the Cuban 5 during the 10 years they have been in jail.

Letters to the USA:

Please write seven letters:

Write to the US Department of State and the US Attorney-General, condemning the miscarriage of justice in the case of the Cuban 5 and demanding their release.

Write to the Cuban 5. Letters give them moral support but also protection since jail authorities hesitate to abuse or harm prisoners who have so many supporters around the world.

(Addresses provided next week.)

Letters in Australia:

Help us by contacting Phillip Adams and his producer Kristine Strong. Ask them why they have not covered the story, tell them what a travesty of justice has taken place, explain that this is a powerful story of human rights violations, and ask them to be the first to break the story in Australia.

Please send your letters to Phillip Adams at:

Late Night Live at abc.net.au/rn/latenightlive/contact/

c/o the Late Night Live producer at: short.kristine@abc.net.au

c/o Weekend Australian, 2 Holt Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010

For more details, put ""Cuban 5"" in your search engine.

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