Jurists meeting in
Washington emphasize irregularities in the trial of
the Cuban Five
•
A panel of eminent jurists, including attorney
Martin Garbus from the team defending the Cuban anti-terrorists
imprisoned in the United States, presented in
Washington a detailed analysis of the irregularities
which occurred during the prosecution of the Five.
The discussion took place in
Georgetown University’s Legal Center and included
Ramsey Clark, former U.S. Attorney General, as well
as attorneys Rafael Anglada and José Pertierra, who
served as the moderator, in addition to Garbus.
Comments were also made by Peter
Schey, director of the Center for Human and
Constitutional Rights in Los Angeles, Mara Verheyden-Hilliard,
executive director of the Partnership for Civil
Justice, and via Skype, Belgian human rights
advocate Jan Fermon.
Garbus described payments made by
the U.S. government to journalists during the trial
to negatively influence public opinion and prejudice
the jury against the Five. Mara Verheyden-Hilliard
reported that a formal request is being made to the
State Department demanding clarification of these
actions.
Attorney Peter Schey refuted
arguments used by the prosecution to justify the
outrageous charges against Gerardo which resulted in
a disproportionate sentence of two life terms in
prison.
The jurists’ meeting at the
prestigious university took place within the context
of the Five Days for the Five event in Washington,
D.C. organized by the International Committee for
the Freedom of the Cuban Five. • (Cubadebate)
