UK personalities sign petition for the Miami Five
Campaign News | Tuesday, 12 August 2008
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UK personalities sign petition for the Miami Five
Beverley Naidoo, Iain Banks, Harold Pinter and Susannah York call on US government to grant family visiting rights
Next month marks the 10th anniversary of the arrest of the Miami Five - five Cubans jailed for trying to stop US based terrorist attacks against their country and Unite is backing a campaign for Justice for the imprisoned men and their families.
The campaign is particularly focussed on the visiting rights for two of the wives of the prisoners, Olga Salanueva, wife of Rene Gonzalez and Adriana Pérez, wife of Gerardo Hernandez who have both been denied the right by the US authorities to even see their husbands for 8 and 10 years.
To coincide with the anniversary of their arrests in Miami on 12 September 1998, UK personalities, including several trade union general secretaries are adding their name to an appeal for Justice for the Five and their families.
Signatories include many famous names from the world of politics, law, music and arts including writers Iain Banks, Beverley Naidoo, Harold Pinter and actors Julie Christie, Susannah York and Maxine Peake. Unite’s joint general secretaries, Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson, Unison’s Dave Prentis, CWU’s Billy Hayes have also signed the petition.
The full list of signatories will be published in the national media in September and there is still time for personalities and individuals alike to add their names to this petition by contacting Cuba Solidarity Campaign.
Unite joint general secretary said: “The Miami Five were acting to defend their country and have paid an enormous price. They are locked up in prison thousands of miles away from their children and wives. Unite is giving its support to gain family visitation rights and is seeking, ultimately, the release of the Miami five.”
Rob Miller, Director Cuba Solidarity Campaign, said: “Ten years have now passed and we must ensure that this case is highlighted so that the campaign for these Five and their families will eventually result in their return home. We want to publish a huge list of names to illustrate the breadth of support there is in the UK for this campaign for justice.”
The list includes a wide spread of political figures including MPs from all parties such as Diane Abbott, Peter Bottomley and Vince Cable.
Amnesty International have condemned this measure as “ unnecessarily punitive and contrary both to standards for the humane treatment of prisoners and to states’ obligation to protect family life.”
Both Olga and Adriana will attend a public anniversary vigil at the US Embassy in London at 6pm on Tuesday 7th October 2008, the same day that the petition will be handed over to US officials.
Personalities and individuals who wish to add their names to the petition can do so by emailing office@cuba-solidarity.org.uk or calling 020 8800 0155.
