April actions to say free political prisoners

The struggle to free political prisoners will focus on Washington, D.C., in April.

Five Days to Free the Cuban Five begins April 17 and continues through a demonstration on April 21 at the White House. The theme will be “Obama, give me Five,” referring to the five Cubans held in the U.S. against their will.

New York-Washington bus tickets costing $5 round trip are available for the Freedom Ride to Free the Five on Saturday, April 21, which ends at the White House protest. For more information or to become a sponsor and reserve a seat, call 917-887-8710; email [email protected]; or go to [email protected]. More details and updated information about the Five Days for the Cuban Five are found at www.theCuban5.org.

Then on April 24, also in Washington, D.C., supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal will Occupy the Justice Department to demand his immediate freedom. For more information, go to millions4mumia.org.

In each of these cases millions believe the men to be innocent and improperly convicted. International outcry and relentless organizing forced Pennsylvania prosecutors to withdraw their attempt to execute Abu-Jamal. Though still imprisoned, he is no longer on death row or in solitary confinement.

The Cuban Five — Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, Antonio Guerrero and René González — heroically penetrated and surveilled paramilitary elements in south Florida who have planned and executed bombing and other terrorist attacks against Cuba. Appeals by the government of Cuba to the U.S. government to act to stop the attacks were ignored. In contrast, admitted and convicted counterrevolutionary bombers like Luis Posada Carriles are feted in Miami today.

The Five were convicted after articles written by well-known journalists paid by the U.S. government inflamed anti-Cuba public opinion. René González was released from prison last Oct. 7, but has been forced to remain in Florida for an additional three years of supervised release. The U.S. denied entry visas for his spouse, Olga Salanueva, throughout his 13-year imprisonment and even after his release.

On March 19, after much public pressure, Miami trial judge Joan Lenard approved González’ request for temporary two-week travel to Cuba to visit his gravely ill brother Roberto. The other four remain unjustly imprisoned, including Gerardo Hernández, who is serving two life terms plus 15 years. In November 2002 Hernández’ mother died in Cuba. He could not attend her funeral and the U.S. government did not even suspend its constant refusal to grant entry visas to his spouse, Adriana Pérez, to visit him at that time of personal loss.