What you should know about the Cuban Five

On Saturday, September 12, 1998, Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González and René González were detained. The men had been observing violent, extremist groups in Miami and gathering information about their activities on behalf of Cuban authorities.  Wrongfully accused, tried and convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage and other crimes, the men have spent twelve years suffering in American prisons, often in solitary confinement. For working to keep innocent people safe from violence, the Cuban Five have been parted from friends and family and treated like criminals in the United States. But to the rest of the world, these men are heroes!

If you get involved, you will make a difference

Today, the international campaign to free the Cuban Five unites Danny Glover, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, Desmond Tutu, Gunter Grass (and eight other Nobel Laureates), members of the US military and intelligence communities, as well as the international Cuban solidarity and friendship community, the Cuban people and people all over the world who take justice and nonviolence toward innocent people seriously.  Everywhere, people are raising their voices to demand justice and freedom for the Cuban Five.

Injustices so outrageous should be a thing of the past. The Cuban Five acted on their beliefs. You can, too. Justice requires thinking and action. You don’t have to join a group or make a donation to make a difference. What you can do:

• Learn more about the Cuban Five and educate others.
• Talk to friends and family about the case.
• Write to one of the Cuban Five to express your solidarity with their struggle because they were brave enough to defend innocent people.
• Write letters to members of Parliament or to American President Barack Obama to promote the Five’s release.
• Print and handout or leaflet OCC's Free the Five! postcard-sized handout (designed for photo paper and a home inkjet!).
• Record your own Youtube video expressing your solidarity with their struggle.

There are many things you can do as an individual; you can also work with a local group like Ottawa-Cuba Connections or any of the Cuban friendship and solidarity groups around Canada.