 |
| Cindy Sheehan |
Dublin, Ireland, 5th March: To mark the 5th of the month for the Cuban
Five, US peace activist Cindy Sheehan read out a letter to President Obama in
front of the US embassy in Dublin this morning asking him to excercise his
executive powers to free the Cuban anti-terrorists fighters incarcerated in
prisons in that country since 1998. She also requested permission from Obama to
allow Rene Gonzalez, who was released last October but must carry out three
years supervised probation in Miami, to return to his country for at least two
weks to see his dying brother, Roberto.
Members of the Free the Cuban Five Campaign Ireland accompanied Sheehan to
the embassy, five of them wearing masks depicting each of the Cuban Five to
remind the public and embassy officials that these five men are human beings
suffering inhumane conditions and are forced to stay away from their famlies and
country.
After the action at the US embassy, Sheehan left for Belfast and Derry
where she will meet with Irish peace laureates, Mairead Maguire and John
Hume.
Cindy Sheehan is on a two week visit to Ireland and Sweden to highlight the
case of the Cuban Five and is being hosted by the Free the Cuban Five Campaigns
in both countries.
Letter from Cindy Sheehan to President Obama:
March 5th
2012
Dear
President Obama,
As a citizen
of the United States of America whose son, Casey died in Iraq allegedly
protecting his country against terrorism in an invasion that was based on lies
and destruction, I call on you to free the Five Cuban anti-terrorists, four of
whom are still incarcerated in US prisons.
The fifth,
René Gonzalez was released last October from Marianna prison in Florida after
serving his full unjust sentence having been found guilty on charges of
conspiracy based on a legally flawed court hearing in Miami. René is also a
citizen of the US and was entitled to a fair trial with an unprejudiced jury, a
situation that was impossible for him to have in that city.
Roberto
González, René's only sibling and an important member of the Cuban Five's legal
team, is gravely ill with cancer in a Havana hospital. Although René has served
his unjust sentence of more than 13 years in U.S. prison, as a punitive measure
he is being forced to serve a further three years probation in the United
States. As a result he is unable to be with his brother at this critical time,
unless he receives special permission to do so.
His attorney
Phil Horowitz has filed an emergency court petition requesting permission for
René to return to Cuba for only two weeks to visit his brother in the hospital.
The petition states, "Over the past nearly five months since his release from
incarceration, the defendant has faithfully complied with each and every
condition of his supervised release." Horowitz says, "The motion that is being
filed is not unusual; it is common for a defendant to seek court permission on
an emergency basis, to travel internationally for health concerns of a family
member."
We urge you,
President Obama to immediately allow René to travel Cuba for two weeks as a
humanitarian gesture.
René is also
suffering the absence of his wife, Olga who he hasn’t seen since he was
imprisoned nearly 14 years ago because US immigration will not give Olga a visa
to travel to Miami to see him. This is also a tragic situation that needs to be
addressed.
You have the
power, Mr. President, to grant permission for the Cuban Five to return home to
Cuba where they belong. You have the power, Mr. President to make sure that Olga
gets a visa to enter the US to see her beloved husband, Rene. You have the
power, Mr. President to make sure that René Gonzalez goes to Havana for two
weeks to see his dying brother. For the sake of humanity, Mr. President,
exercise that power.
Cindy Lee
Sheehan
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario