Protests get Cuban 5 out of the hole

Statement by the Cuban National Assembly

As a result of numerous messages of protest, the U.S. government decided to put an end to the solitary confinement that it had imposed to Gerardo Hernández, René González, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero and Fernando González, and to place them again in the general penal population, although maintaining several completely discriminatory restrictions against them.

It has been demonstrated that during a month, the U.S. authorities violated the rights of the prisoners, of their lawyers and the norms of due process, seriously damaging the appeal process. Taking them now out of “the hole,” the U.S. government is proving that a “national security” justification never existed and that it was obliged retreat because of the denunciations and protests.

But the U.S. government has not finished yet with its arbitrary, discriminatory and illegal actions. It still maintains inadmissible prohibitions related to use of the phone, correspondence, consular access and family visits.

The U.S. action proved the strength of the international solidarity and its capacity to act with efficacy, even in very difficult circumstances, due to the fact that the information about this issue in the big media was virtually zero.

The United States has continued the methods and techniques that it used before to prevent a fair trial. That is precisely the principal question that the Atlanta Appeals Court should consider. That is the best proof to demonstrate that that Court should dismiss the Miami farce and order the release of the five prisoners.

It is necessary to multiply and intensify solidarity, now that we have this additional proof about the serious misconduct of the U.S. government.

The solidarity took them out of “the hole.” The solidarity will free them.