Finian McGrath
Question:310 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will actively support the National Lawyers Guild USA in their call for the UN to investigate the case of the Miami 5. [22405/07]
View answerTuesday, 9 October 2007
Questions (227)
Written answers
The case to which the Deputy refers relates to five Cuban citizens who were convicted in the US in 2001 on charges ranging from espionage to first degree murder. A panel of three judges from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta overturned the 2001 convictions on 9th August 2005 and ordered a retrial based on new evidence. The Miami District Attorney duly filed an appeal against this decision and, following an appellate hearing on 14 February 2006, a 10-2 decision to uphold the 2001 convictions was issued on 9 August 2006.
I understand that a number of non-governmental organizations, including the organization named by the Deputy, continue to pursue issues relating to the convictions in question. However, as I have made clear in my replies to the Deputy's previous Parliamentary Questions on this issue, I do not think it appropriate for Ireland to become involved in these cases.