The Committee
Free the Cuban Five Committee - Toronto was created in 2003 to add to the ever growing demands for the release of the five Cubans imprisoned in the US. We have 13 permanent members and about another 5-8 casual members who have helped with past committee activities. Membership is free and voluntary; there is no requirement to have any political affiliation and no obligations or demands, other than to work for the release of the Five.
The Committee is directed by an Executive composed of five regular members of the committee who are elected by the entire committee. Elections are held once a year and all positions on the Executive are strictly voluntary. This Executive is composed of a Chairperson, a person in charge of finances and three advisors. These five members are the ones that would represent the committee at every event and who will attend meetings with other groups to coordinate the activities or participation of the committee at events organised by other groups working for the cause of the Five or who do other solidarity work with Cuba.
Our Aims
The committee's aim is to educate and inform the public about the plight of the Five and to help gain their release and safe return to Cuba and to offer emotional and moral support to the Five while they await their freedom. As such we strongly believe in the phrase coined for the international solidarity movement: "Breaking the Silence". We aspire to maintain the case of the Five in the public's mind and to continue pressuring public figures to express support for the five.
We believe that it is only through educating the general public that the solidarity movement will succeed in pressuring the US government to free these heroes. During the past year our committee membership has grown from 7 to 13 full-time members. As well, this past year has seen growing recognition of our group by other solidarity and social justice groups.
We encourage all of our membership and anyone else in contact with our committee, to personally write and to establish communications with the Five at their respective places of incarceration and to offer support to their families and to the lawyers who are handling their case.