MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Havana calls for release of alleged spies

The United States should immediately release five Cubans convicted on espionage charges following an appeals court's decision to grant them a new trial, a high-ranking official said in Havana.

On Tuesday an Atlanta federal appeals court ordered a new trial for the five Cubans, who had been handed sentences ranging from 15 years to life in prison in Miami in 2001.

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a 93-page decision that the five men did not receive fair trials because of the "prejudicial" atmosphere in Miami, where over a million Cubans live among which operate the most hard line anti-Castro groups.

The appeals court also mentioned the tremendous publicity surrounding the trial and a number of incidents that routinely occurred outside the Miami courthouse speared by Cuban exiles.

Reacting to the ruling, the president of the Cuban National Assembly, Ricardo Alarcon, said the decision was a legal "victory" for Cuba.

"They should release the five immediately", added Mr. Alarcon.

In addition to hailing the legal victory, Alarcon said he was convinced it also represented a "political" victory because "American people can now have an idea about the injustice of this case". The Cuban official added the ruling was also a hard blow for the anti-Castro groups in Miami.

The appeals court ruling came a few days after United Nations experts said the five Cubans did not receive a fair trial.