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URGENT
STATEMENT BY THE CUBAN PARLIAMENT
As of February 28th, Gerardo Hernández, Ramón
Labañino, Antonio Guerrero,
Fernando González and René González have once more been placed in solitary
confinement, locked up all day and denied contact with other prisoners and
the outside world.
They have been forbidden to receive any visits - including those of their
attorneys and Cuban consular officials - and their telephone privileges
withdrawn, completely depriving them of communication with not only their
attorneys but their families as well.
By blocking access between the Five and their defense attorneys, the
Government of the United States is violating the basic principles and
norms
of law.
The authorities knew that the attorneys were meeting with their clients
and had made the necessary arrangements to meet with them in the coming
week
to review the documents for their defense to be presented before the
Eleventh Circuit Court in Atlanta no later than April 7th. This action was
adopted by Washington with the deliberate intention of impeding a fair
appeals process.
In this crucial stage when the attorneys need to focus their attention on
the appeal briefs, not only are they seriously obstructed from doing so,
but
they are obliged to waste time in unsuccessful attempts to communicate
with
their clients.
We condemn this new development and demand that our five Cuban compatriots
are granted access to their attorneys and given the right to meet with
them
once again.
The Cuban National Assembly
Havana, March 9th, 2003
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