05 February 2011

CUBA: Imprisoned American To Get Spy Trial Soon; 20 Years Sought.

M.HERALD/ JUAN TAMAYO /  With Comment /

   The state controlled newspaper Granma reports that U.S. government subcontractor Alan Gross, 61, jailed for 14 months in La Habana for espionage...will soon have his day in a Cuban court.
   Prosecutors reportedly will seek a 20-year sentence.
    It also claimed that the Gross family, lawyer and U.S. diplomats can attend the trial.
    A U.S.spokesman said: ``We deplore the Cuban government's announcement that Cuban prosecutors intend to seek a 20-year sentence against Mr. Gross. He should be home with his family now.''

COMMENT:
     During my many long stretches living in Cuba, as I have blogged here, I was often shadowed by the secret police.
     I was also cautioned by the many Canadians living there on other ways to behave in public.
     I was told never to sit next to a child on a park bench. Indeed, I was told to get up and leave if a child sat down and engaged in conversation.
     Why, I asked?
     The Canadian resident said the secret police sometimes liked to set up "troublesome yumas," taking fotos of them with children so they could later claim pedophilia...with the pictures as proof!
    I have also heard of many two hour trials.
    Alan Gross, good luck getting a fair trial in those courts!