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New
Appeals for Fernando and Ramon Mentioned on “Round Table”
Havana,
Dec 24, (RHC).- The
defense team representing the Five Cuban
heroes is considering presenting appeals in respect of the
sentences of Fernando González and
Ramón Labañino, two of the five anti-terrorist fighters
imprisoned in the US, according to lawyer Jose Pertierra speaking
last night on the Cuban television discussion program the Round
Table.
The decision will be taken in next few days, said Pertierra,
emphasing that they will not appeal the re-sentencing only the
original sentences and specifically the topic of the denial of
change of venue
“There
is an important case in Texas of the President of Enron that could
have an impact on the change of venue in the case of the Five”, the
attorney said.
On the 8th December, federal Court Judge Joan Lenard from the
district of Florida, re-sentenced Ramón Labañino to thirty years
imprisonment from a prior sentence of Life plus 18 years and fixed a
new sentence of 17 years and nine months on Fernando González, who
had originally been sentenced to 19 years.
On the
13th October this year, the same judge re-sentenced Antonio Guerrero
to 21 years and 8 months in place of his Life plus 10 years that he
had received before.
The re-sentencings
were ordered by the Court of Atlanta in 2008, the same court that
wrongfully ratified the culpability of the Five and maintained the 2
life sentences plus 15 years against Gerardo Hernandez and René
Gonzalez’s sentence of 15 years. .
The case
of Gerardo remains the biggest injustice of all in the case of the
Five. Condemned for conspiracy to commit espionage and conspiracy to
commit murder without any evidence whatsoever, Gerardo is serving a
double life sentence and furthermore is suffering the denial of his
right to receive a visit from his wife, Adriana, said Pertierra.
Fernando
González, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Gerardo Hernández and
René González are serving severe sentences for their actions to
frustrate terrorists’ plans against Cuba forged by extreme groups
based in US territory. “They are victims of the terrorist war
against Cuba”, added the lawyer whose law practice is based in
Washington DC.
Pertierra explained that the US president could liberate the Five
without permission from US Congress nor any involvement in a
complicated process to sign a reduction of sentence or grant them
their freedom.
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