HAVANA, Cuba , Aug 21 (acn) The political battle for the release of the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters unfairly imprisoned in the US must go on, said in Havana members of the Cuban Five’s defense team.
The lawyers gave a press conference in which they noted that they represent the juridical side of the fight for the release of the Cuban Five, the Granma newspaper reports.
Participating in the news conference were Joaquin Mendez, Leonard Weinglas and Phillip Robert Horowitzs, defense counsels of Fernando Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero and Rene Gonzalez, respectively, as well as William Norris, Ramon Labañino’s lawyer; Tom Goldstein, who headed the defense team before the Supreme Court; appeal specialist Richard Klugh; and Rafael Anglada, member of the defense team.
The jurists talked about Antonio Guerrero, Ramon Labañino and Fernando Gonzalez’ process of re-sentence, set for October 13, for which the three inmates will be transferred to Miami .
Mendez pointed that, throughout his professional career, he has never had a case that had taken so long. “Since they were arrested until today, 11 years later, there is not even a definition of the case,” said the lawyer.
Norris hopes that the US government provides the defense team with the information needed to make an appropriate preparation for the re-sentence.
Goldstein said the judge should take into account the long term they have been in jail, the suffering of the two prisoners and their families, and also the recognition of the international community.
Meanwhile, Weinglass pointed out that the life imprisonments imposed on Antonio and Ramon could disappear, although he commented that he could not predict what the new sentences will be.
The lawyers said that Tony, Ramon, Fernando and Rene are concerned about Gerardo, who was sentenced to two life imprisonments, one of them for conspiracy to commit murder. Goldstein explained that the efforts that will be made will show that this charge is “totally absurd.”
Mendez assured that within the arbitrariness and illegality of the case, the treatment Gerardo has received is the greatest injustice committed in the case of these five men.
Rene Gonzalez was not benefited by a re-sentence either. His lawyer, Phillip Robert Horowitz, said that his defendant is about to serve 15 long years in prison, where he has maintained, as well as the rest of the five Cuban prisoners, an excellent behavior.
