WCC offers pastoral support to Cubans imprisoned by the USA

By staff writers

30 Sep 2006

-30/09/06

The World Council of Churches (WCC) will continue to offer pastoral accompaniment to the relatives of a group of imprisoned people known as the "Cuban Five", and will advocate for the relatives' right to visit them.

WCC general secretary Rev Dr Samuel Kobia announced this pledge after meeting with two of the prisoners' relatives, Adriana PÈrez and Magalys Llort, earlier this week in Geneva, Switzeland.

He explained that the Council's support will be channelled especially through the churches and ecumenical organizations in Cuba. Dr Kobia also praised the work done by the churches in the US in accompanying the five Cubans and their relatives.

"The WCC is concerned that relatives have found it extremely difficult, if not impossible for some of them, to visit the prisoners, and will therefore strongly appeal for them to be allowed to visit the prisoners on humanitarian grounds," he said.

Dr Kobia recalled the opinion of the UN Working group on arbitrary detentions, which in its 2006 report states that the deprivation of liberty of the five Cubans is arbitrary. The wives of two of the prisoners have been denied US visas for the last six years.

The "Cuban Five" are five Cuban citizens imprisoned in United States after being convicted by a US federal court in Miami on 8 June 2001. The five are Gerardo Hern·ndez, RamÛn LabaÒino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonz·lez and RenÈ Gonz·lez.

They were accused of conspiring to spy on the United States, and other related charges. The five claim they were involved in monitoring the actions of Miami-based terrorist groups, in order to prevent terrorist attacks in Cuba.

On 9 August 2005, after seven years of imprisonment, the five won an appeal when a three-judge panel in Atlanta's 11th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the convictions and ordered a new trial outside Miami. Later on, the court agreed to hear the US prosecutors' appeal, and on 9 August 2006 reversed its previous decision.

[Also on Ekklesia: Baptists face US government fine for Cuba mission trip [0] 13/08/06; Czech Protestant leader questions official Cuban churches [1] 11/08/06; WCC speaks up for Cuban churches in US sanctions row [2] 11/07/06; Bush report may ban aid and church relations with Cuba [3] 03/07/06; US Cuba travel ban violates religious freedom, say agencies [4]; US Anglicans seek to end Cuban isolation [5]; Concern over forced closure of churches in Cuba [6]; Christians face jail after President's call to visit Guant·namo [7]; US Presbyterians call an end to Cuba travel restrictions [8]; Bishop urges Bush to allow help for Cuba [9]; Catholic Worker plans Guantanamo protests over Lent [10]; US in talks to close Guantanamo Bay [11]; Axis of evil offers to come to America's rescue [12]; Christians told of Guantanamo Bay hunger strike [13]; Ecumenists seek to recover evangelistic emphasis, Cuban WCC secretary says [14]]

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