March & Rally to Free the Cuban 5 Sep 12 NYC

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JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR JUSTICE FOR THE CUBAN 5 AND THEIR FAMILIES SEPTEMBER 12 - OCTOBER 6, 2006

Fernando Gonzalez, Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labaino, Antonio Guerrero and Rene Gonzalez, have been unjustly imprisoned in U.S. federal penitentiaries since the fall of 1998. Their crime? Fighting terrorism.

Since 1998 their imprisonment has been determined to be arbitrary and illegal by a unanimous decision of a five member panel of U.N. human rights experts. Their convictions were reversed by a unanimous decision of three judges of the Atlanta Court of Appeals. Those decisions were announced in May 2005 and August 2005, but the Five Cubans are still in prison subjected to cruel and unusual treatment with severe violations of their human rights, including the denial of visas to the wives of Gerardo and Rene.

Three federal judges for 16 months examined the prejudicial and illegal practices that characterized their trial in Miami. In their 93 page decision they concluded unanimously that Fernando Gonzalez, Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labaino, Antonio Guerrero and Rene Gonzalez were victims of an unprecedented bias, which denied them their fundamental right to a fair trial. Their ruling set aside each and every one of their convictions. It was a great victory, but not one that Washington and its friends in Miami could accept. Such a powerful statement by one of the highest - if not the most conservative - courts in the United States outraged those ordinarily unchallenged makers of Cuban policy and compelled them, in desperation, to resort to a rarely used legal tactic to appeal the decision.

We are now awaiting word on whether or not the federal appellate court in Atlanta will hold firm to its' initial determination.

Two months ago, Ricardo Alarcon, the President of the Cuban Parliament, urged that a period starting September 12th and ending October 6th be used to break down the silence surrounding the case of the Cuban Five as well as to condemn all terrorism and demand justice for its victims.

Whether it was sending medical brigades, sending scientific experts, or training future physicians, Cuba has always responded to the needs of the international community. Now, it is our turn to stand in support of Cuba and its call to Free the Cuban 5.

We call upon all of you to join in the international campaign against US sponsored terrorism from September 12 to October the 6, 2006, by:

1) Endorsing this call for a period of activities from September 12th to October 6th of this year to educate and rally public support for the freedom of Fernando Gonzalez, Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labaino, Antonio Guerrero and Rene Gonzalez and to demand that their families be allowed to visit them;

ADD YOUR ORGANIZATION TO THE LIST BELOW!!

2) Discuss scheduling an event in your church, school, political organization, solidarity group, or community organization during The Free the Five Month; we need to fill this 25 day period with activitres throughout NYC and throughout the United States.

3) Contact The Free the Cuban 5 Organizing Committee for resources, which can help to organize your event and to coordinate with others building the Freedom Calendar for the 5.

Please send your endorsement to: this call widely.

PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN YOU CAN SCHEDULE YOUR EVENT BETWEEN SEPT. 12TH-OCT. 6TH, 2006 * ================================================================ NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us ================================================================

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