Vigil for the Miami Five

Solidarity with the Miami Five

US Embassy Candlelit Vigil

6pm-7:30pm, Tuesday 19 October 2010

Free the Miami Five - justice for them and their families.

The Miami Five have been unjustly imprisoned in US jails since 1998 for trying to stop terrorist attacks against Cuba. The United Nations, Amnesty International and numerous legal, religious and human rights organisations have questioned the fairness of their trial and long sentences, and condemned the US government's persistent refusal to grant visas to allow two of their wives to visit.

For more than 40 years, right wing Cuban exile groups based in Miami have killed almost 3,500 people in terrorist attacks against Cuba. To save lives, Cuba sent five men to Miami to infiltrate and monitor the groups. At the request of the US government, this information was passed to the FBI in 1998.

But instead of arresting the terrorists, the FBI used the information to identify and arrest the Five anti-terrorists on 12 September 1998 in Miami and charged them with spying and conspiracy. Two of the prisoners' wives, Olga Salanueva and Adriana Pérez, have been refused visas ten times and have not seen their husbands for 10 and 12 years.

FREE THE FIVE - Join the vigil on Tuesday 19 October at the US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, London (Bond St tube)

Special guests

• Irma González Salanueva - daughter of Miami 5 prisoner René González
• Tom Goldstein - Supreme Court lawyer for the Five

plus speakers from the trade union and labour movement and celebrity supporters including:

• Tony Woodley (Unite)
• Billy Hayes (CWU)
• Christine Blower (NUT)
• Bob Crow (RMT)
• Sam Gurney (TUC)
• Jonathan Ledger (NAPO)
• Keith Sonnet (Unison)
• Mick Shaw (FBU)
• Andy Bain (TSSA)
• Tom Gill (CSP)
• Richard Ascough (GMB)
• Linda Perks (London Unison)
• Steve Hart (Unite London Region)
• Tony Benn
• Angela Smith (Chair of APPG on Cuba)
• John McDonnell MP
• Omar Puente (Cuban violinist)
• Karen Mitchell (Thompsons Solicitors)
• Steve Cottingham (OH Parsons lawyers)
• Father Geoff Bottoms (Miami 5 campaign)
• Miriam Palacios (Cubans living in the UK)

Bring candles to this peaceful vigil for the Five and their families to mark the 12th year of their unjust imprisonment.

If you are going to the TUC lobby against the cuts during the day, please encourage your delegation to come to this vigil afterwards.

If you can help distribute electronic and paper publicity to your friends and colleagues please contact communications@cuba-solidarity.org.uk or call 020 8800 0155