As of February 28th, Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González and René González have once more been placed in solitary confinement, locked up all day and denied contact with other prisoners and the outside world.

They have been forbidden to receive any visits —including those of their attorneys and Cuban consular officials— and their telephone privileges withdrawn, completely depriving them of communication with not only their attorneys but their families as well.

By blocking access between the Five and their defense attorneys, the Government of the United States is violating the basic principles and norms of law.

The authorities knew that the attorneys were meeting with their clients and had made the necessary arrangements to meet with them in the coming week to review the documents for their defense to be presented before the Eleventh Circuit Court in Atlanta no later than April 7th. This action was adopted by Washington with the deliberate intention of impeding a fair appeals process.

In this crucial stage when the attorneys need to focus their attention on the appeal briefs, not only are they seriously obstructed from doing so, but they are obliged to waste time in unsuccessful attempts to communicate with their clients.

We condemn this new development and demand that our five Cuban compatriots are granted access to their attorneys and given the right to meet with them once again.