WHO ARE THE CUBAN FIVE

• VOICES OF SUPPORT
• THE CASE
• DENIALS OF FAMILY VISITS
• MEDIA COVERAGE
• ACT NOW

PRESS CONFERENCE ON FAMILY VISITATION RIGHTS AND U.S. PERSONALITIES'OPINION ABOUT HUMANITARIAN VISAS FOR OLGA AND ADRIANA

Gayle McLaughlin, Mayor of Richmond , California

"I have urged and will continue to urge the State Department to issue humanitarian visas for Adriana Perez and Olga Salanueva to visit their husbands Gerardo Hernandez and Rene Gonzalez respectively in US prisons. There is no justifiable reason to deny these families the right to visitation and it is a violation of their basic human rights to do so. "  Gayle McLaughlin

Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired) Lawrence Wilkerson

If there is any kindness in anyone in the current U.S. leadership, indeed, if there is any recognition of the dignity of the individual human being, then there must be a recognition that these women, Adriana Perez and Olga Salanueva, should be allowed to visit their husbands.  This is simple human kindness.  It is difficult for me to believe that there is no such kindness left in America 's leadership.  After all, why are we frightened of two women who want to see their husbands after a decade of separation?  Lawrence Wilkerson

Press Conference

HAVANA, Cuba , July 16 (acn) The International Committee of Solidarity with five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters unjustly imprisoned in the United States urged on Tuesday the US State Department to grant visas to Adriana Perez and Olga Salanueva, wives of Gerardo Hernandez and Rene Gonzalez – two of the Cuban Five, as these five men are internationally known.
 
During a press conference in Havana , Graciela Ramirez , President of the Committee, denounced that the US Government obstructs the family visits of the Cuban Five, in a clear violation of US and international laws, which establish this kind of visits on a monthly basis.

Olga and Adriana have been denied visas on eight occasions and the last time this happened was last September 12, 2007, nine years after the imprisonment of Gerardo, Rene, Antonio Guerrero, Ramon Labañino and Fernando Gonzalez, who had infiltrated anti-Cuba extremist groups in South Florida that were organizing and carrying out terrorist actions against Cuba.

As part of an ongoing international campaign for the release of the Cuban Five, an International Commission for the Right to Family Visits is sending cards with the pictures of these two couples to US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice so that both women are granted visas to visit their husbands.

The Commission is comprised of over 100 personalities from 27 countries, including Nobel laureates such as Rigoberta Menchu and Adolfo Perez Esquivel as well as France ’s former First Lady Danielle Mitterrand.

This international campaign includes actions in 15 cities of 12 American states and in countries such as Germany , Peru , Italy and Switzerland , among others.