Gerardo Hernández needs our help!

Gerardo Hernández has been put into "the hole" despite having committed no infractions, has been denied proper access to attorneys preparing his habeas corpus appeal, and has been denied urgently needed medical treatment. Read more about the story below. Please lend your voice to getting proper treatment for Gerardo by sending this email.

Use the form below to send emails to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and to the Warden of Victorville Prison, demanding proper treatment for Gerardo.

To contact President Obama with this same message, you can do so with this contact information:

President Barack Obama
White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone Number: 202-456-1111
Fax Number: 202-456-2461
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

I demand proper treatment for prisoner Gerardo Hernandez

It is my understanding that prisoner Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo, #58739-004, has been put into "the hole" for more than a week, despite having committed no infractions. His attorneys, who are in the midst of preparing an important habeas corpus appeal for him, have been denied proper access which would allow them to prepare that appeal. Additionally, he has been refused access to urgently needed medical attention.

This treatment of prisoner Hernandez is inhumane and unwarranted, and comes on top of nearly twelve years of unjustly being denied visits by his wife, Adriana Perez. I lend my voice to those demanding that you immediately return Hernandez to the general prison population, allow his attorneys proper access to him in order to prepare his appeal, and provide him with urgently needed medical attention.

Sincerely,

---------

Alarcón responsabiliza a EE.UU. con salud de antiterrorista cubano
por Héctor Miranda
28 de julio de 2009-Tomado de Prensa Latina
La Habana, 28 jul (PL) El presidente de la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular de Cuba, Ricardo Alarcón, responsabilizó hoy al gobierno de Estados Unidos por la salud del antiterrorista Gerardo Hernández, prisionero en aquel país y aquejado de problemas físicos.
"La salud de Gerardo corre peligro y de esa situación es enteramente responsable el gobierno de los Estados Unidos", advirtió Alarcón en el capitalino Palacio de Convenciones, donde trabajan las comisiones permanentes del Parlamento, previo al quinto período de sesiones de la séptima legislatura de este órgano.
Alarcón enfatizó, además, que se obstruye la justicia en el caso del antiterrorista al confinarlo al hueco de la prisión de Victorville, California, sin haber cometido indisciplinas.
Para el titular del Parlamento cubano se trata de una situación muy grave, porque el reo no solamente está en el hueco, sino en condiciones de castigo, en una celda muy pequeña, sin ventilación, con solo un diminuto orificio en lo alto de la pared de la celda que comparte con otro cautivo.
"El gobierno estadounidense conoce que Gerardo tiene algunas dolencias físicas, por las que ha estado reclamando ser examinado por los médicos desde el pasado mes de abril", comentó Alarcón, quien advirtió que solo el 20 de julio le permitieron asistir a una consulta.
Al día siguiente, sin embargo, lo llevaron al hueco, en una celda de dos metros de largo por uno de ancho, donde las temperaturas superan los 35 grados Celsius, a pesar de que se le diagnosticaron varios problemas y aún sin tratamiento.
Aparentemente, comentó Alarcón, Gerardo tiene problemas con una bacteria que, según dijo el médico que lo atendió, circulaba entre la población penal, con algunos casos muy graves, aunque no se sabe ciertamente si es la situación del cubano, porque no le han hecho los análisis.
Según parece Gerardo tiene también alteración con la presión arterial. Es un hombre joven, acaba de cumplir 45 años, pero se ha pasado 12 en condiciones realmente muy difíciles y tensos, recordó.
Alarcón manifestó su preocupacién por la salud del antiterrorista cubano, a pesar de la voluntad de este, sobre todo porque no tiene atención médica.
"Hasta ahora hemos reclamado ante el Departamento de Estado y no hemos tenido respuesta. Porque no se trata solamente de que esté en el hueco, sino en condiciones de castigo dentro del hueco", recordó.
Advirtió que está sin comunicación con sus abogados, justo cuando se realizan trámites de apelación, una situación que se repitió constantemente durante todo el proceso.
"Gerardo debería estar trabajando con sus abogados en la fundamentación del habeas corpus. Eso lo sabe el gobierno estadounidense y en este momento lo tienen sin comunicación con sus abogados, sin recibir correspondencia, completamente aislado y encima de eso enfermo, con riesgos para su integridad física", enfatizó.

-
Alarcón: USA Responsible for Health of Cuban Anti-Terrorist
By Héctor Miranda
July 28, 2010 Reprinted from Prensa Latina
Havana, Jul 28 (Prensa Latina) Ricardo Alarcon, President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba, held the United States responsible for the health of anti-terrorist Gerardo Hernandez, unjustly held in a US prison and suffering from physical problems.
Gerardo's health is in danger and the United States is responsible for this situation, warned Alarcon at Havana's Convention Center, where parliamentary permanent committees are currently meeting prior to the fifth period of sessions of the seventh legislature of the Cuban Parliament.
Alarcon added that justice is being obstructed in the case of Gerardo, as he has been put in solitary confinement in the prison of Victorville, California, without having committed any indiscipline
In Alarcon's opinion, this is a very serious situation because the prisoner not only is in the hole, but under conditions of punishment in a very small cell, with no ventilation except for a tiny hole in the upper part of the wall of the cell shared with another inmate.
"The US Government is aware that Gerardo has some physical ailments for which he has been requesting medical examination since April," commented Alarcon, who noted that only on July 20th was he allowed to see a doctor.
The next day he was taken to the hole, a two-meter long, one-meter wide cell, where temperatures reach over 35 degrees, despite the fact that he had been diagnosed with several still untreated problems.
Gerardo seems to be having problems with a bacteria that, according to the doctor who saw him, was circulating among the prison population, with some very serious cases, though it is not known if this is his specific situation because he has not had any tests.
Gerardo also appears to be having problems with his blood pressure. He is a young man, just 45, but he has been under very difficult, tense conditions for 12 years now, he recalled.
Alarcon expressed his concern for the health of the Cuban anti-terrorist fighter, above all because he has no medical care.
"We have protested to the US State Department and have had no reply. Not only is he in that hole, but under conditions of punishment," recalled Alarcon.
He warned that Gerardo is without communication with his lawyers, at the very time that appeal procedures are being carried out, a situation that has been constantly repeated throughout the entire process.
"Gerardo should be working with his lawyers with evidence to back up the habeas corpus. This is known by the US Government and still at this moment he is without contact with his lawyers, without corresponsence, completely isolated, and on top of that he is ill, involving risks for his physical integrity, stated Alarcon.