International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban Five
July 21, 2009
For over a decade now the United States has systematically violated the right of family visits to prisoners Gerardo Hernández and René González, with the clear objective of breaking the spirit of these men whom, together with Fernando González, Ramón Labañino and Antonio Guerrero, are serving unjust sentences for monitoring right wing Cuban exile groups based in Miami .
Just recently, on July 15th, the US State Department denied for the tenth time a visa to Adriana Pérez, wife of Gerardo Hernández. The argument used this time was that Adriana “constitutes a threat to the stability and security of the United States ”.
It is painful to comprehend that after waiting for 95 days, building up her hopes based on the promise of changes by the new administration, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, current US Secretary of State, turned down the request using the same argument as that of her predecessor, Condolezza Rice.
The country that proclaims itself to be the champion of democracy, the leader in respecting laws and human rights, is the same one that prohibits Gerardo to receive a visit from his wife for 11 years. With treachery and cruelty, the latest negative response was given to Adriana on the same day as their 21st wedding anniversary.
We repudiate with all our might this new violation of an innocent man like Gerardo, unjustly sentenced to two life sentences plus 15 years for exposing the criminal actions of the terrorist gangs that have operated, and continue to operate, with total impunity from US soil. Gerardo has been denied the possibility of a fair and impartial trial and also receives additional punishment from the US government by not allowing him to even set eyes on his wife Adriana.
We must ask ourselves, how much more does the US government want to punish Gerardo for his bravery, his heroic conduct and his dignity? How much more pain does the U.S. plan to inflict on this couple? Where are the changes promised to the voters in the United States and to people around the world towards Cuba and Latin America by the Obama administration?
We make a call to all honest and peace loving women and men from around the world to REJECT this new shameful denial of the Obama administration and for the immediate granting of a humanitarian visa to Adriana.
Send letters e-mail or make phone calls to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and to Michelle Obama at the following addresses:
US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington , DC 20520
United States
Phone: 202-647-4000
Secretary of Homeland Security
Janet Napolitano
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington , DC 20528
United States
Comment line: 202-282-8495
To send an e-mail go to:
https://contact.dhs.gov/DynaForm.aspx?FormID=press
Speaker of the House
Nancy Pelosi
Washington, D.C. Office
235 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
United States
Phone (202) 225-4965
To send an e-mail go to:
http://www.house.gov/pelosi/contact/contact.html
Michelle Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500
United States
Office of the United Nation Human Right High Commissioner
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Phone: +41 22 917 90 00
To send an e-mail go to:
InfoDesk@ohchr.org
