On 27th August Rene Gonzalez was again denied a visa to visit the UK. This decision was taken despite the fact that 29 MPs had invited him to speak at a meeting at the Houses of parliament on September 10th. On 5 September, he suffered a further miscarriage of justice when the British courts failed to overturn the decision.
The Cuba Solidarity Campaign has launched a letter writing campaign which you can join here
Olga Salanueva, wife of released Miami Five prisoner René González, will speak at emergency meetings on 8-10 September to protest at the British government’s denial of an entry visa for her husband.
René, the first of the Miami Five to be released, was due to speak at meetings in Liverpool and London to mark the 16th anniversary of their arrests. Despite an invitation from 29 British MPs to address a meeting in parliament and by the TUC to address their Congress in Liverpool, the British government has refused three legal appeals to overturn their decision to deny him entry to the country.
Rene is currently in the middle of visits to Portugal and France, both countries having granted him a visa without issue.
Emergency meetings with Olga Salanueva
Monday 8 September, 5.45pm
CSC Fringe meeting, TUC Congress Liverpool
Liverpool ACC, Room 12,
with guest speakers
Olga Salanueva
Esther Armenteros, Cuban Ambassador
Frances O'Grady, TUC General Secretary (invited)
Len McCluskey, Unite General Secretary
Kevin Courtney, NUT Deputy General Secretary
Bernard Regan, CSC National Secretary
Tuesday 9 September, 7.30pm
The Boardroom, Jack Jones House, 2 Churchill Way, Liverpool
Public meeting-All welcome
Wednesday 10 September, 6.30pm
Committee Room 9, House of Commons, London
hosted by Jeremy Corbyn MP
with Olga Salanueva
Baroness Angela Smith
Elizabeth Woodcraft and Sara Chandler - Barristers and Coordinators of International Commission of Inquiry into the Case of the Five
(Please arrive early to allow time to pass through HoC security)
Please come to protest against the British government's denial of Rene's visa and hear about why he needed to go to the US to defend Cuba, his 13 years in a US prison and 20 months on forced parole in Miami, being denied visitation rights from his wife, and the continuing international campaign for freedom and justice for the remaining prisoners.
Despite pro bono work by barristers on the three legal appeals, extensive court costs have been charged to CSC for challenging the British government’s decision.
Anyone able to help with paying these fees can make a donation here. http://www.voicesforthefive.com/donate/