Invitation to Cuban Five meeting on 26 February
/This is an open invitation to attend a joint Haldane Society/Cuba Solidarity Campaign meeting regarding the (Miami) Cuban 5, on 26 February 2014 at 6.30pm at Garden Court Chambers 57-60 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3LJ.The meeting will focus on the cases of five Cuban nationals arrested in Miami in 1998 while attempting to stop terrorist attacks against the Cuban people. The Five anti-terrorists were illegally held in solidarity confinement for 17 months, convicted following an unfair trial and sentenced to terms of between 15 years to double life. The campaign for justice for the Five is gaining international prominence and raises important issues relating to the rights of the Miami (or Cuban) 5 as well as the rights of Cuba to national self defence,Ways of Showing SupportThe campaign has launched a new website which provides supporters with different ways to help the Five: www.voicesforthefive.com/International Commission of InquiryThe evening at Garden Court Chambers on 26 February 2014 is a precursor to a two day International Commission of Inquiry into the Case of the Cuban Five, which will take place on 7th and 8th March 2014, at the Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL.The Commission will hear testimony from around 20 key witnesses including US defence attorney Martin Garbus,' the world's finest trial lawyer', former US attorney general Ramsey Clark, representatives from international human rights organisation Amnesty International, and from Miami Five family members including wives of the Five, Olga Salanueva and Elizabeth Palmeiro.International Legal Community
The Commission will be presided over by distinguished international jurors including the former Chief Justice of India Yogesh Kumar Sabharwal, Zakeria Mohammed Yacoob former Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, Philippe Texier, former Chair of the Supreme Court of France.
There will be testimony from specialists on the range of measures taken to defend Cuba against the threat of terrorist attacks, as well as testimony from Cuban and international victims of US based terrorism.
Rene Gonzalez
René González, the first and only member of the Miami Five to have been released after completing his 15 year sentence in the United States, has announced that he will also come to London to give evidence to the International Commission of Inquiry on 7th and 8th March 2014.
He will be joined by family members, victims of terrorism against Cuba, lawyers, politicians and campaigners from Cuba and across the world including Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize winning author of the Color Purple. Ricardo Alarcon, the former President of the Cuban parliament and representative to the UN for many years is another special guest.
International Solidarity
The International Commission is the major event of the campaigning organisation Voices for the Five which has brought together hundreds of international celebrities including John Le Carré, Emma Thompson, Danny Glover, Lord Rowan Williams, Martin Sheen, Noam Chomsky, Günter Grass, Peter Capaldi and Dame Vivienne Westwood. They have been joined by thousands who have posted messages of support to the web based campaigning site.
For a full list of international endorsers, please see http://www.voicesforthefive.com/endorsers/Cultural EventsA number of associated events will take place including a major international concert at the Barbican Hall in London featuring acclaimed musicians and stars of the Buena Vista Social Club - Eliades Ochoa and Omara Portuondo - alongside other international performers and guests, as well as associated screenings and exhibitions.
TicketsPublic tickets are available for each day (£10 per day) of the Commission and demand is expected to be high so please book as soon as possible.
- To buy tickets click here
- For further details about the Commission proceedings click here
- For details about Accommodation and Transport options in London click here
- For further details click here to contact Voices for the Five
