UK condemns US decision on the Five
Campaign News | Monday, 9 June 2008
The 140 delegates to the 2008 Annual General Meeting of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign on 7 June made the following statement on the Miami Five. The delegates included representatives of over 5 million UK Trade Union members.
We deplore the latest decision of the United States Court of Appeals and the continued imprisonment of the Five.
We call for:
? a prompt retrial of the Five in any venue other than Miami
? full visiting rights for all of the families in the meanwhile
? maximum support for the campaign to free the Five
The conference also passed an emergency motion on the Five which set out an Autumn campaign of action which included national press adverts calling for freedom for the Five, a major Trade Union conference on the Five and a protest vigil outside the US embassy.
Geoff Bottoms, CSC Miami Five campaign coordinator, said
"The latest decision to uphold the convictions of the Five is a travesty of justice that only serves to underline the political nature of the case. It is more urgent than ever that we step up the campaign for the freedom of all Five in the hope that a change in the political climate in the US will open up new possibilities"
Rob Miller, CSC Director, said at the conference:
"This latest set back in the Court of Appeal only strengthens our resolve to ensure that the voices of millions of people here in the UK are heard clearly in the White House. We will bring thousands to protest outside the US embassy in the Autumn. Ten years is enough, the Five must be released."
