Information Note on Gerardo Hernandez

In the morning of August 3 (Tuesday), Gerardo Hernandez, Hero of the Republic of Cuba, contacted with his wife Adriana Perez by telephone and informed her that on Monday afternoon, August 2, he had been transferred from the punishment cell (the hole) -where he had been since July 21- to the usual area where he’s serving his unfair sentence.

On Monday afternoon, the US State Department had informed the Cuban authorities about this transfer.

While speaking with her husband, Adriana found him in a good mood and in high spirits.

On behalf of the Cuban people, we express our appreciation for the solidarity and support given by different organizations and people of goodwill, which demanded to put an end to this cruel and inhumane treatment. We will continue this struggle until justice is served and The Five return to their homeland.

Ago 4 (Agencies) Amidst an intense campaign by his attorneys and thousands of supporters around the world, the U.S. autorities released Gerardo Hernández, Cuban Five hero, from days in isolation in a punishment cell.

The U.S. National Committee to Free the Cuban Five reported the news in a press release which highlights that supporters sent nearly a thousand emails to the Bureau of Prisons demanding his release.

Leonard Weinglass, one of Gerardo's attorneys, visited him this weekend along with fellow attorney Peter Schey.

He described on Tuesday to Gloria La Riva of the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five the abysmal and cruel conditions that Gerardo was placed in.

"Gerardo is in great spirits but he's really suffering. In 100+ F degree weather, the air was so stifling that Gerardo was laying on the floor sucking in air from the bottom of the door," the lawyer said.

He couldn't take his blood pressure medicine as his doctor advised him because the weather was too hot. He couldn't use the shower because it was scalding hot water. He was given dirty bedsheets, and he had to resort to washing them in the toilet, Weinglass denounced.

The attorney noted that the defense sent a five-page letter to the prison containing all the violations that they made in putting him in isolation.

The National Committee to Free the Cuban Five has called to intensify the international campaign to free Gerardo and the other four Cuban antiterrorists from prison.

Gerardo, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez were arrested in 1998 for monitoring groups of Cuban-American individuals who were plotting in South Florida to commit violent actions against Cuba.

Their 12 year incarceration has been termed unjust and arbitrary a U.N. legal panel.

Cuban Antiterrorist Fighter Released from the Hole

Havana, Aug. 3 (Prensa Latina) Cuban antiterrorist fighter Gerardo Hernandez, imprisoned in the United States, was transferred from the punishment cell where he had been since July 21 to the cell in which he is serving his sentence.

 According to a press release, Hernandez, one of the Cuban Five, antiterrorist fighters held in U.S. prisons, spoke by telephone with his wife Adriana Perez, and told her that he had been moved from the "hole" to his cell on Tuesday.

 The text confirms that the US Department of State reported his transfer to Cuban authorities on Tuesday afternoon.

 According to Adriana, Gerardo was in a good spirits and his morale was high.

 "On behalf of the Cuban people, we are thankful for the support and solidarity given by different organizations and people of goodwill who demanded the end of that cruel, inhuman treatment," the press release said.

 "We will continue fighting until justice is done and the Five return home," it said.

  Miami: Five. Prisoner Gerardo Hernandez has been returned to the general prison population following a massive international campaign targeting the US government and prison authorities demanding that he be released from the   3x7ft punishment cell he was confined to on 21 July 2010.

Leonard Weinglass, one of the attorneys for the Five broke the news of his   release late on Tuesday 3 August (UK time).

Gerardo had been kept in he said "Gerardo is in great spirits but he's really suffering. In 100+ degree weather, the air was so stifling that Gerardo was lying on the floor sucking in air from the bottom of the door. He couldn’t take his blood pressure medicine as his doctor advised him because the   weather was too hot. He couldn't use the shower because it was scalding hot water. He was given dirty bed sheets, and he had to resort to washing them in the   toilet."
    
   Weinglass noted that "we sent a five-page letter to the prison containing all the errors that they made in putting him in isolation. The letter outlined their own regulations that they violated."
 
   An international campaign for his release from the ‘hole’ generated thousands of letters to US State Department, US Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Prisons.
 
   In the UK, Brendan Barber of the TUC, and fourteen other General Secretaries  (Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson, Unite, Dave Prentis, Unison, Paul Kenny,  GMB,   Billy Hayes CWU, Christine Blower, NUT, Chris Keates, NASUWT, Sally Hunt,    UCU,    Bob Crow, RMT, Matt Wrack, FBU, John Smith, Musicians Union, Jeremy Dear    NUJ,    Jonathan Ledger, NAPO, John Hannet, USDAW plus Luke Crawley from BECTU) wrote  directly to Hilary Clinton calling for him to be released from the  punishment cell and for his wife Adriana Perez to be granted a visa to visit him, something she has been denied for 12 years.
 
The letter writing campaign organised by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign in the UK also saw MPs add their names to the thousands of emails, letters and faxes sent to US authorities in the last three days.
 
On behalf of CSC, Communications Manager Natasha Hickman said: “We want to thank everyone who responded to this campaign so quickly. It undoubtedly had an  impact in the US to help secure Gerardo’s release from the ‘hole’.
 
   “The long term campaign for his release and that of his four comrades continues. Irma Gonzalez, daughter of Miami Five prisoner Rene Gonzalez will be speaking at public meetings around the UK in October and attending the Cuba Solidarity Campaign annual candlelit Vigil for the Five outside the US Embassy on Tuesday 19 October. I urge people to put this date in their diaries and come  to show their solidarity with these five Cuban heroes. Only international pressure and support for their cause can bring them justice.”