China rights lawyer allowed visit by family

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BEIJING (AP) — Family members of jailed prominent lawyer Gao Zhisheng said Wednesday that Chinese authorities have allowed them to visit him in prison, confirming for the first time since he disappeared nearly two years ago that he is alive and in good health.

Gao's brother Gao Zhiyi told The Associated Press that he has seen his brother but added it was "not convenient" to say more.

The dissident's wife, Geng He, said her father and Gao's brother saw him for half an hour in a remote prison in Xinjiang on Saturday in an emotional reunion. She expressed relief at proof her husband is alive and relatively well.

Geng, who now lives in California, says she was told Gao appeared paler than the last time his brother saw him two years ago but seemed otherwise the same.

The whereabouts of Gao, who earlier said he had been kidnapped and tortured by Chinese authorities, had been unknown for 20 months until state media reported in December that he was being sent back to prison for three years for violating his probation.

Gao has been a galvanizing figure for the rights movement, advocating constitutional reform and arguing landmark cases to defend property rights and political and religious dissenters. Convicted in 2006 of subversion and sentenced to three years, he was released on probation before being taken away by security agents in 2009 in the first of his forced disappearances that set off an international outcry.

During an interview with the AP in 2010 when he briefly resurfaced, Gao described being hooded and beaten by security and said he worried about being taken away by police again. He disappeared again a few weeks later and since then his supporters and rights groups have expressed concern about whether he is alive.

In December, the government said it was moving Gao to prison, the first time it had acknowledged holding him. Yet, his condition was not known and speculation about his health spiked again after authorities refused to let his brother visit him in prison.

"The fact that he's alive and that his family has seen him is a huge step forward given the fears we've all had," said Jared Genser, president of the Washington-based advocacy group Freedom Now and an adviser to Geng He.

During the visit, Gao Zhisheng talked to Geng's father first for 10 minutes then to his brother for 20 minutes, Geng said. They spoke to each other by phone and were separated by glass, she said.

Gao wept when Geng's father told him that his health was better now that he could finally see him.

"Anyway, this is the situation that I am in," Geng quoted Gao Zhisheng as telling his brother. "You should all take care of yourselves, help Geng He raise the children well."

With Gao confirmed alive, Genser said the next step is to rally foreign governments and U.N. groups to persuade the Chinese government to release him and allow him to be reunited with this family. "Now is the time to put pressure on the Chinese government to adhere to the rule of law," Genser said in Beijing.

Gao's family visit was long overdue, his friend and fellow Beijing-based rights lawyer Li Heping said.

"From the very beginning they should have done things in strict accordance with the law. This would have greatly reduced the unnecessary suspicions," Li said.

Geng said the news of the visit brought her relief. "I slept well for the first time that night," she said.

"But in the morning as soon as I got up, I was aware that the road ahead of me remains long. Gao Zhisheng's ordeal has not ended," she said. "I must keep calling for his release until the day he is free and we can be reunited."

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Associated Press writer Charles Hutzler contributed to this report.

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Jailed China rights lawyer allowed visit by family

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BEIJING (AP) — Family members of jailed prominent lawyer Gao Zhisheng said Wednesday that Chinese authorities have allowed them to visit him in prison, confirming for the first time since he disappeared nearly two years ago that he is alive and in good health.

Gao's brother Gao Zhiyi told The Associated Press that he has seen his brother, but added it was "not convenient" to say more.

The dissident's wife, Geng He, said her father and Gao's brother saw him for half an hour on Saturday in an emotional reunion in a remote prison in Xinjiang. She expressed relief at proof her husband is alive and relatively well.

Geng, who now lives in California, says she was told Gao appeared paler than the last time his brother saw him two years ago but seemed otherwise the same.

"Anyway, this is the situation that I am in," Geng quoted Gao Zhisheng as telling his brother. "You should all take care of yourselves, help Geng He raise the children well."

Gao has been a galvanizing figure for the rights movement, advocating constitutional reform and arguing landmark cases to defend property rights and political and religious dissenters. Convicted in 2006 of subversion and sentenced to three years, he was released on probation before being taken away by security agents in 2009 in the first of his forced disappearances that set off an international outcry.

The whereabouts of Gao, who earlier said he had been kidnapped and tortured by Chinese authorities, had been unknown for 20 months until state media reported in December that he was being sent back to prison for three years for violating his probation.

During an interview with the AP in 2010 when he briefly resurfaced, Gao described being hooded and beaten by security and said he worried about being taken away by police again. He disappeared again a few weeks later.

In December, the government said it was moving Gao to prison, the first time it had acknowledged holding him. Yet, his condition was not known and speculation about his health spiked again after authorities refused to let his brother visit him in prison.

"The fact that he's alive and that his family has seen him is a huge step forward given the fears we've all had," said Jared Genser, president of the Washington-based advocacy group Freedom Now and an adviser to Geng He.

With Gao confirmed alive, Genser said the next step is to rally foreign governments and U.N. groups to persuade the Chinese government to release him and allow him to be reunited with this family. "Now is the time to put pressure on the Chinese government to adhere to the rule of law," Genser said in Beijing.

Geng said the news of the visit brought her relief. "I slept well for the first time that night," she said.

"But in the morning as soon as I got up, I was aware that the road ahead of me remains long. Gao Zhisheng's ordeal has not ended," she said. "I must keep calling for his release until the day he is free and we can be reunited."

Other prominent Chinese who are being held incommunicado include poet Liu Xia, who is the wife of jailed Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, and Chen Guangcheng, a self-taught lawyer who documented forced abortions and other abuses.

Liu Xia is believed to be effectively under house arrest without phone or Internet access and is prohibited from seeing all but a few family members. Chen was released from jail in 2010, but authorities have turned his eastern Chinese village into a no-go zone where activists, foreign diplomats and reporters have been turned back and threatened.

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Associated Press writer Charles Hutzler contributed to this report.

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Follow Gillian Wong on Twitter at http://twitter.com/gillianwong

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China lawyer Gao 'allowed visit'

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28 March 2012 Last updated at 04:59 ET Gao Zhisheng went missing in April 2010 shortly after he was released on parole Prominent Chinese dissident lawyer Gao Zhisheng has been allowed a prison visit by relatives.

It is the first time in nearly two years that Mr Gao has been seen by family members.

The lawyer, who was sentenced to house arrest in 2006, was released briefly in March 2010 but disappeared soon after.

Chinese authorities revealed in December 2011 that he was being held in a Xinjiang prison, after he "seriously violated probation rules".

Mr Gao's older brother, Gao Zhiyi, told journalists that he met his brother, but it was "not convenient" for him to elaborate further.

Geng He, Mr Gao's wife, who fled to the US with their children, told Reuters news agency that Gao Zhiyi and her father met Gao Zhisheng on Saturday.

In the 1950s and 60s, political prisoners in China were often sent to Xinjiang, in western China.

Human rights activists previously said that imprisoning Mr Gao in the remote area was an attempt to deter visitors.

'Dead or alive'

Geng He said the 30-minute meeting took place at the Shaya County jail in Xinjiang's western prefecture of Aksu, under supervision.

"I said: 'Brother, why didn't you ask him... where was he staying? Where was he all the years before?" she told Reuters.

Continue reading the main story 2005: Authorities close down Gao Zhisheng's law practice Dec 2006: Convicted of subversion and sentenced to house arrest Sept 2007: Says he was tortured during a period of detention Jan 2009: Disappears; last seen accompanied by security officials Mar 2010: Reappeared for a month before disappearing again Dec 2011: State media says he has been jailed for three years"His elder brother said: 'My main purpose of the trip is to determine whether he's alive or dead. The police will not allow you to ask so many things.'"

Gao Zhisheng was not allowed to talk about his whereabouts for the past two years, nor to talk about his treatment in prison, she added.

Gao Zhisheng, a 45-year-old attorney who has defended activists and religious minorities, is an outspoken critic of the Chinese government.

He was given a suspended sentence of three years in prison on charges of "inciting subversion of state power" in December 2006, with five years of probation.

After the sentence, Mr Gao was placed under house arrest.

Mr Gao's wife and two children sought asylum in the United States in early 2009. They are now living in California.

The US, European Union and United Nations have repeatedly called on Chinese authorities to release him.

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Pickton tells reporter to pose as lawyer to get visit - CTV.ca

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From inside the walls of a maximum-security prison in British Columbia's Fraser Valley, serial killer Robert Pickton offers a suggestion to a reporter interested in visiting him for an interview.

"If you are looking for a story, 'boy do I have one for you!!!"' Pickton writes in a letter to The Canadian Press.

"Tell them (prison staff) when making appointment by telephone that you are my new defence lawyer being appointed to this case, in defending Mr. Pickton's rights."

The bizarre ruse is Pickton's solution to what he describes as a "certain stumbling block" -- an apparent restriction that has kept the killer away from reporters since his arrival at Kent Institution, east of Vancouver. He was transferred to Kent after his final appeal for the second-degree murders of six women failed in 2010.

In the one-page letter, written by hand in tidy block letters, Pickton says he's willing to sit down for an interview, but he suggests the only way to see him is by becoming an impostor.

If the scheme works, prepare for a long session, Pickton warns, and best to bring along an actual lawyer for good measure.

"To get an upper hand on this particular case, plan for a four-hour interview to exchange information, as we have much to talk about to fully understand this case," writes Pickton, who has carefully underlined what appear to be his most important points.

"Also, bring another lawyer with you as a junior lawyer to help you with the workload. You need one."

The Canadian Press wrote to Pickton requesting an interview, and the letter was his reply.

Pickton, who is believed to have killed dozens of sex workers from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, never actually outlines just what he's prepared to say, and he may have little opportunity to ever say it.

While inmates in the federal prison system are permitted to arrange interviews with journalists, Correctional Service of Canada guidelines allow prison staff to restrict that access in certain cases.

Pickton appears to be one of those cases.

"At this point, what I can tell you is that the case-management team has made the decision that it's not in his correctional plan to give interviews," said Jean-Paul Lorieau of the Correctional Service of Canada.

"So far, everyone who's asked has been given the same answer."

Lorieau said several journalists have made similar requests since Pickton arrived at Kent, and all have been rejected.

Another corrections spokesman, David Harty, later clarified that there is no blanket ban on Pickton speaking with journalists and that each request is considered in light of his correctional plan. However, Harty couldn't expand on exactly what Pickton's plan says about interviews with the media.

Harty said Correctional Service policies state that mail is typically not read by prison staff except in rare circumstances. He couldn't say whether mail to or from Pickton is ever vetted.

A written response from the prison's warden, Mark Kemball, doesn't outline why Pickton is being kept away from reporters, but Kemball notes an inmate's correctional plan "establishes goals for the individual inmate, addresses the dynamic factors that contributed to his criminal behaviour and employs the most effective intervention techniques for that inmate."

Pickton was arrested in 2002, when RCMP officers executing a search warrant for illegal firearms on his farm in Port Coquitlam, B.C., stumbled upon the remains and belongings of missing sex workers from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

He has been in custody ever since, sitting through a trial that convicted him of six counts of second-degree murder in 2007 and several appeals that ended in 2010. He was sentenced to life in prison with no parole for at least 25 years.

Pickton was able to give one media interview before was transferred to Kent.

In August 2010, days after the Supreme Court of Canada denied his appeal and before he was transferred into the federal system, Pickton spoke to a CTV reporter from a provincial jail.

In that interview, Pickton claimed he was a scapegoat and that others were responsible for the murders, though he didn't know who. He cryptically suggested there was more to the story, but then, as now, he didn't fill in the blanks.

The only time since the CTV interview that the public has heard anything from Pickton was during the ongoing public inquiry examining why police failed to catch him.

A senior officer from Ontario's Peel Regional Police visited Pickton at Kent as she prepared a report for the inquiry. Deputy Chief Jennifer Evans testified that Pickton maintained his innocence, but she didn't reveal anything else about their conversation.

Pickton isn't the first serial killer to be kept from the media.

Clifford Olson, who murdered 11 children and young adults in B.C. in the early 1980s, was infamous for contacting journalists and taunting his victims' families.

Corrections officials responded by cutting off Olson's access to journalists.

Harold Schechter, an expert on serial killers who teaches at the City University of New York, said he hasn't heard of many cases in which serial killers have been prevented from speaking to reporters.

"It's very unusual here in the United States; I'm not aware of any analogous situations," said Schechter, author of several books about multiple murderers, including "The Serial Killer Files."

"Very notorious serial killers -- John Wayne Gacy and (Ted) Bundy and the Son of Sam, David Berkowitz, and all those people -- they seemed to communicate from behind bars all the time with journalists."

Schechter said restrictions on Pickton may be an attempt to avoid fuelling his notoriety.

"I'm going under the assumption that it has something to do with not allowing someone like Pickton to gratify his narcissism, and partly as a way of protecting the families," said Schechter.

"I don't know if this is part of it, but there's so much focus now on serial killer collectors and serial killer groupies, there might be some of that element of it."

Schechter said reporters should have access to serial killers, which he said can help the public and experts such as himself understand their heinous crimes.

Lori-Ann Ellis, whose sister-in-law Cara Ellis's remains were found on Pickton's farm, said she wants to hear what Pickton has to say.

Pickton was charged but never put on trial for the murder of Cara Ellis. That means her family has never heard a detailed account of what happened to her.

The only person who knows, said Lori-Ann Ellis, is Pickton. Even if he isn't prepared to come clean now, Ellis hopes that will change one day -- and if it does, she wants journalists to be able to tell that story.

"We don't want to hear a bunch of babble, but if he eventually gets so bored that he's just screaming to tell his story, who is the prison system to stop us from hearing that?" said Ellis.

"When people are on death row, they have those death row confessions. We don't have the death sentence, but I think he's going to get so bored for some kind of attention, eventually he may give up some information."

Pickton was convicted of killing six women, but the remains or DNA of 33 women were found on his farm.

He once bragged to an undercover police officer that he killed a total of 49.

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Lawyer: Cuban agent happy can visit brother

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HAVANA (AP) — A lawyer for a Cuban agent serving probation after a long jail term in the United States said Tuesday that his client is elated with a Miami judge's decision to let him visit his ailing brother on the island, and says the man will keep his word and return to serve out the remainder of the punishment.

The ruling in the case of Rene Gonzalez offered a rare moment of relaxation in tension between the two countries. It also raised hopes Cuba might reciprocate with a humanitarian gesture for jailed U.S. contractor Alan Gross, whose imprisonment has torpedoed any hope of rapprochement between the Cold War enemies.

Gross has asked authorities to be allowed to return to the United States to visit his mother and adult daughter, who are both battling cancer, and his supporters are looking to next week's visit to Cuba by Pope Benedict XVI as a chance for a goodwill gesture.

Gonzalez is one of the so-called Cuban Five, agents who were convicted of spying on Cuban exiles in South Florida and trying to infiltrate military installations and political campaigns. He was freed last year after serving most of a 15-year sentence, but was ordered to remain in the U.S. for three years on supervised release.

Phil Horowitz, a Miami-based criminal defense attorney who has represented Gonzalez since 1998, said Gonzalez would file all the paperwork to comply with the judge's order, including an itinerary with addresses and the names of people he plans to see, and intends to make the trip as soon as possible.

"He's happy he's going to be able to see his brother while he's in his time of need," Horowitz said. "Like I've always said in my motions, this is not a political request, this is a pure humanitarian request."

Gonzalez, a dual Cuban-American citizen whose brother has lung cancer, promises to return within the two-week limit established in the ruling.

"If he doesn't, he's going to be an international pariah," the lawyer said. "No. 2, there's still four more of his fellow countrymen in the United States prison system that are eventually going to get released. If he doesn't comply with the court order it may reflect badly on them, and he has absolutely no desire to do that."

As Cuban and U.S. officials have done in the past, Horowitz insisted that Gonzalez's and Gross' cases are separate.

However Philip Peters, a longtime Cuba analyst at the Virginia-based Lexington Institute Lexington Institute, noted similarities between Gonzalez and Gross, a 62-year-old from Maryland who was arrested in December 2009 while working with Cuban Jewish communities to improve their Internet access. Gross was convicted last year of crimes against the state and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

"There's this parallel situation where both Gonzalez and Gross have relatives that are (suffering from) cancer," Peters said. "Both have asked for a brief visit, and they've both promised that they would return to serve their sentence."

"One has been granted, and the other is pending."

But since permission came from the judicial branch rather than the executive, it's tough to interpret this as a clear beginning of a broader humanitarian agreement between Washington and Havana.

"It's definitely an interesting twist when you consider that Cuba has said that they're interested in reciprocal humanitarian steps," Peters said. "But the United States did not present this as a positive gesture, and in fact the (Obama) administration opposed it. ... It would be a little tricky for U.S. diplomats to turn around and try to get something out of this."

In court filings last week, the Justice Department argued against letting Gonzalez return to the island on the grounds that he could receive new spying instructions from Cuban intelligence officials.

In Washington on Tuesday, Department spokesman Dean Boyd declined to comment on whether an appeal was in the works.

Gonzalez's lawyer has said the dual Cuban-American citizen is working as a caretaker at a private home, but did not reveal the location out of concern for his client's safety.

Cuban authorities were initially quiet about the ruling except for a short, matter-of-fact article in state media, where the Cuban Five are a constant fixture and cause celebre.

Requests for government comment and permission to interview Gonzalez's wife, Olga Salanueva, were not immediately granted.

"Imagine the happiness a Cuban feels (upon learning) that Rene has been given a humanitarian visa to visit his brother," Antonio Castro, a son of former President Fidel Castro, told The Associated Press at an unrelated event.

"This is a very long struggle. It has been going on for years and we have to keep moving forward," Castro said. "But of course it's a cause for personal satisfaction."

___

Associated Press writers Andrea Rodriguez and Anne-Marie Garcia in Havana, and Gisela Salomon in Miami, contributed to this report.

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Follow Peter Orsi on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Peter(underscore)Orsi.

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Lawyer says Cuban agent paroled in US elated at decision letting him visit ... - Washington Post

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Gross has asked authorities to be allowed to return to the United States to visit his mother and adult daughter, who are both battling cancer, and his supporters are looking to next week’s visit to Cuba by Pope Benedict XVI as a chance for a goodwill gesture.

Gonzalez is one of the so-called Cuban Five, agents who were convicted of spying on Cuban exiles in South Florida and trying to infiltrate military installations and political campaigns. He was freed last year after serving most of a 15-year sentence, but was ordered to remain in the U.S. for three years on supervised release.

Phil Horowitz, a Miami-based criminal defense attorney who has represented Gonzalez since 1998, said Gonzalez would file all the paperwork to comply with the judge’s order, including an itinerary with addresses and the names of people he plans to see, and intends to make the trip as soon as possible.

“He’s happy he’s going to be able to see his brother while he’s in his time of need,” Horowitz said. “Like I’ve always said in my motions, this is not a political request, this is a pure humanitarian request.”

Gonzalez, a dual Cuban-American citizen whose brother has lung cancer, promises to return within the two-week limit established in the ruling.

“If he doesn’t, he’s going to be an international pariah,” the lawyer said. “No. 2, there’s still four more of his fellow countrymen in the United States prison system that are eventually going to get released. If he doesn’t comply with the court order it may reflect badly on them, and he has absolutely no desire to do that.”

As Cuban and U.S. officials have done in the past, Horowitz insisted that Gonzalez’s and Gross’ cases are separate.

However Philip Peters, a longtime Cuba analyst at the Virginia-based Lexington Institute Lexington Institute, noted similarities between Gonzalez and Gross, a 62-year-old from Maryland who was arrested in December 2009 while working with Cuban Jewish communities to improve their Internet access. Gross was convicted last year of crimes against the state and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

“There’s this parallel situation where both Gonzalez and Gross have relatives that are (suffering from) cancer,” Peters said. “Both have asked for a brief visit, and they’ve both promised that they would return to serve their sentence.”

“One has been granted, and the other is pending.”

But since permission came from the judicial branch rather than the executive, it’s tough to interpret this as a clear beginning of a broader humanitarian agreement between Washington and Havana.

“It’s definitely an interesting twist when you consider that Cuba has said that they’re interested in reciprocal humanitarian steps,” Peters said. “But the United States did not present this as a positive gesture, and in fact the (Obama) administration opposed it. ... It would be a little tricky for U.S. diplomats to turn around and try to get something out of this.”

In court filings last week, the Justice Department argued against letting Gonzalez return to the island on the grounds that he could receive new spying instructions from Cuban intelligence officials.

In Washington on Tuesday, Department spokesman Dean Boyd declined to comment on whether an appeal was in the works.

Gonzalez’s lawyer has said the dual Cuban-American citizen is working as a caretaker at a private home, but did not reveal the location out of concern for his client’s safety.

Cuban authorities were initially quiet about the ruling except for a short, matter-of-fact article in state media, where the Cuban Five are a constant fixture and cause celebre.

Requests for government comment and permission to interview Gonzalez’s wife, Olga Salanueva, were not immediately granted.

“Imagine the happiness a Cuban feels (upon learning) that Rene has been given a humanitarian visa to visit his brother,” Antonio Castro, a son of former President Fidel Castro, told The Associated Press at an unrelated event.

“This is a very long struggle. It has been going on for years and we have to keep moving forward,” Castro said. “But of course it’s a cause for personal satisfaction.”

___

Associated Press writers Andrea Rodriguez and Anne-Marie Garcia in Havana, and Gisela Salomon in Miami, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Peter Orsi on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Peter(underscore)Orsi.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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By: happy Cuban agent to visit the brother

HAVANA (AP) — a lawyer in Cuba, the agent serving probation, when a long jail term in the United States, said on Tuesday that his client was elated Miami judge decision, he is the brother of the man on the island, and says the tax breaks to keep his word, and returns to the rest of the punishment.

Rene Gonzalez 5 offered a rare moment of relaxation between the two countries. It is also hoped Cuban may respond with the humanitarian branch of the jailed Us contractor Alan Gross, whose imprisonment has torpedoed the cold war, the enemies of the convergence of hope.

Gross has asked to be allowed to return to visit his mother and adult daughter of the United States authorities, both of which are cancer and his supporters are looking for Christopher Pope Benedict XVI to the goodwill of the business, and the possibility of the visit to Cuba next week.

Gonzalez is one of the so-called Cuban five, who had been convicted of espionage in Cuba, human rights organisations and to try to infiltrate into South Florida at military installations and impurities in political campaigns. He was released last year after serving 15 years of a sentence was to remain in the United States, but most of the supervised release for three years.

Phil Horowitz, Miami criminal defense attorney is based on, which is represented in the Gonzalez since 1998 to comply with the order of the judge, said Gonzalez file, including travel plans he intends to review, with the names and addresses of the persons to the paper work and intends to make the trip as soon as possible.

"He is happy, he will be able to see his brother, he is in need of his time," Horowitz said. "As you have always said my motions, this is not a political request, this is a pure humanitarian request."

Gonzalez, two Cuban-American citizen, whose brother is the authorisation laid down by the judgment of the lung cancer to return within two weeks.

"If he does not, he is going to have an international pariah," the lawyer said. "No. 2, the four companies of his countrymen in the United States prison system interaction, which in the end is going to be to get released. If he does not follow the case law of the Court of Justice may also affect badly to them, and he is just not wish to do so. "

Cuban and US officials have been in the past, Horowitz claimed that Gonzalez and the cases are separate.

Philip Peters, for a long period of Cuba-analyst Virginia-based Lexington Institute, Lexington Institute, said, however, the similarities of the gross, 62-year-old Gonzalez and Maryland, who was arrested in December 2009, while working with the Cuban Jewish communities to improve their Internet connection. Gross was convicted last year of crimes against the State and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

"Is parallel to the situation, where Gonzalez and Gross family, (a) cancer," Peters said. "Both are asked for a brief visit, and you both were promised that they will be returned to contribute."

"One of the was granted, and the other is pending."

But since the rights involved in the judicial branch, rather than the Executive, it is hard to interpret this in the wider context of the humanitarian agreement, Washington and Havana to the beginning of it.

"It is certainly an interesting twist when Cuba has said that they are interested in, in the form of humanitarian operations," Peters said. "But the United States has made a positive gesture, and in fact, (Obama) Administration was opposed to it. ... It should be a little bit difficult to diplomats from the United States, and try to get something out of this amount, around the clock. "

Court filings last week, Justice Department argued against a return to the island, on the grounds that he could get the new spyware help Cuban intelligence officials of Gonzalez.

Department spokesman Dean Boyd declined to comment on whether there was a change in the works in Washington on Tuesday.

Gonzalez's lawyer has said the Cuban-American dual national is as for the election of the Board of a private home, but did not reveal any of his concerns about the location of the customer's safety.

The Cuban authorities had initially a quiet information, with the exception of the short, matter-of-fact article on the State of the Media, the Court, if the Cuban five are constantly test the device and cause celebre.

The Government's comment, and the right to consult the Gonzalez's wife, Olga Salanueva was granted immediately.

Antonio Castro, son of former President Fidel Castro, said, "imagine the happiness of Cuba is of the opinion that (after) Rene of humanitarian visas to visit his brother," the Associated Press to unrelated parties in the Conference.

"This is a very long fight. It has and we have to keep moving forward, "Castro said. "But, of course, it is the personal satisfaction."

___

Press writers Anne-Marie Garcia in Havana and Andrea Rodriguez and Gisela Salomon Miami, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Peter on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Peter (underscore) Perch Perches.

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Lawyer for Afghan killings suspect to visit him

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SEATTLE (AP) — With formal charges looming against his client within days, the lawyer for an Army sergeant suspected in the horrific nighttime slaughter of 16 Afghan villagers flew to Kansas and was preparing for his first face-to-face meeting with the 10-year veteran.

John Henry Browne of Seattle said he planned to meet Monday with Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, who is being held in an isolated cell at Fort Leavenworth's military prison.

Bales, 38, hasn't been charged in the March 11 shootings, which have endangered relations between the U.S. and Afghanistan and threaten to upend U.S. policy over the decade-old war. But formal charges are expected to be filed within a week and if the case goes to court the trial will be held in the United States, said a legal expert with the U.S. military familiar with the investigation.

That expert said charges were still being decided and that the location for any trial had not yet been determined. If the suspect is brought to trial, it is possible that Afghan witnesses and victims would be flown to the United States to participate, he said.

Military lawyers say once attorneys involved in the initial investigation of an alleged crime involving a service member have what they believe to be a solid understanding of what happened and are satisfied with the evidence collected, they draft charges and present them to a commander. That person then makes a judgment on whether there is probable cause to believe that an offense was committed and that the accused committed it.

That commander then "prefers" the charges to a convening authority, who typically is the commander of the brigade to which the accused is assigned but could be of higher rank.

Bales' defense team said in a statement late Saturday that "it is too early to determine what factors may have played into this incident and the defense team looks forward to reviewing the evidence, examining all of Sergeant Bales' medical and personnel records, and interviewing witnesses."

The lawyers' statement also said Bales' family was "stunned in the face of this tragedy, but they stand behind the man they know as a devoted husband, father and dedicated member of the armed services."

Military officials have said that Bales, after drinking on a southern Afghanistan base, crept away March 11 to two slumbering villages overnight, shooting his victims and setting many of them on fire. Nine of the 16 killed were children and 11 belonged to one family.

Court records and interviews in recent days have revealed that Bales had a string of commendations for good conduct after four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he also faced a number of troubles in recent years: a Florida investment job went sour, his Seattle-area home was condemned as he struggled to make payments on another, and he failed to get a recent promotion.

Legal troubles included charges that he assaulted a girlfriend and, in a hit-and run accident, ran bleeding in military clothes into the woods, court records show. He told police he fell asleep at the wheel and paid a fine to get the charges dismissed, the records show.

Rebecca Steed, spokeswoman at Fort Leavenworth, said Bales would be able to meet with Browne in what is described as a privileged visit. Along with medical visits, such meetings are generally more private than others conducted in the prison.

Browne, 65, has represented clients ranging from serial killer Ted Bundy to Colton Harris-Moore, known as the "Barefoot Bandit." He has said he has handled only three or four military cases. Bales will also have at least one military lawyer.

Tall and stylish, Browne has been a prominent figure in Washington state legal circles since the 1970s, known equally for his zeal in representing his clients and his flair before television cameras.

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Also contributing were Associated Press writers Manuel Valdes in Seattle, John Milburn in Topeka, Kan., and Deb Riechmann in Kabul, Afghanistan.

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Lawyer for Afghan suspect to visit with him Monday

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SEATTLE (AP) — With formal charges looming against his client within days, the lawyer for an Army sergeant suspected in the horrific nighttime slaughter of 16 Afghan villagers was flying Sunday to Kansas and getting ready to meet for the first time with the 10-year veteran.

John Henry Browne of Seattle said he planned to meet Monday with Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, who is being held in an isolated cell at Fort Leavenworth's military prison.

Charges against Bales, 38, are expected to be filed within a week and if the case goes to court the trial will be held in the United States, said a legal expert with the U.S. military familiar with the investigation.

That expert said charges were still being decided and that the location for any trial had not yet been determined. If the suspect is brought to trial, it is possible that Afghan witnesses and victims would be flown to the United States to participate, he said.

Military lawyers say once attorneys involved in the initial investigation of an alleged crime involving a service member have what they believe to be a solid understanding of what happened and are satisfied with the evidence collected, they draft charges and present them to a commander. That person then makes a judgment on whether there is probable cause to believe that an offense was committed and that the accused committed it.

That commander then "prefers" the charges to a convening authority, who typically is the commander of the brigade to which the accused is assigned but could be of higher rank.

Military officials have said that Bales, after drinking on a southern Afghanistan base on March 11, crept away to two slumbering villages overnight, shooting his victims and setting many of them on fire. Nine of the 16 killed were children and 11 belonged to one family.

Court records and interviews in recent days have revealed that Bales had a string of commendations for good conduct after four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he also faced a number of troubles in the last several years: a Florida investment job went sour, he had a Seattle-area home condemned as he struggled to make payments on another, and he failed to get a recent promotion.

Legal troubles included charges that he assaulted a girlfriend and, in a hit-and run accident, ran bleeding in military clothes into the woods, court records show. He told police he fell asleep at the wheel and paid a fine to get the charges dismissed, the records show.

Browne, 65, has represented clients ranging from serial killer Ted Bundy to Colton Harris-Moore, known as the "Barefoot Bandit." He has said he has only handled three or four military cases. Bales will also have at least one military lawyer.

Tall and stylish, Browne has been a prominent figure in Washington state legal circles since the 1970s, known equally for his zeal in representing his clients and his flair before television cameras.

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Also contributing were Associated Press writer Deb Riechmann in Kabul, Afghanistan.

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Lawyer for Afghan killings suspect to visit him

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
SEATTLE (AP) — With formal charges looming against his client within days, the lawyer for an Army sergeant suspected in the horrific nighttime slaughter of 16 Afghan villagers flew to Kansas and was preparing for his first face-to-face meeting with the 10-year veteran.

John Henry Browne of Seattle said he planned to meet Monday with Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, who is being held in an isolated cell at Fort Leavenworth's military prison.

Bales, 38, hasn't been charged in the March 11 shootings, which have endangered relations between the U.S. and Afghanistan and threaten to upend U.S. policy over the decade-old war. But formal charges are expected to be filed within a week and if the case goes to court the trial will be held in the United States, said a legal expert with the U.S. military familiar with the investigation.

That expert said charges were still being decided and that the location for any trial had not yet been determined. If the suspect is brought to trial, it is possible that Afghan witnesses and victims would be flown to the United States to participate, he said.

Military lawyers say once attorneys involved in the initial investigation of an alleged crime involving a service member have what they believe to be a solid understanding of what happened and are satisfied with the evidence collected, they draft charges and present them to a commander. That person then makes a judgment on whether there is probable cause to believe that an offense was committed and that the accused committed it.

That commander then "prefers" the charges to a convening authority, who typically is the commander of the brigade to which the accused is assigned but could be of higher rank.

Bales' defense team said in a statement late Saturday that "it is too early to determine what factors may have played into this incident and the defense team looks forward to reviewing the evidence, examining all of Sergeant Bales' medical and personnel records, and interviewing witnesses."

The lawyers' statement also said Bales' family was "stunned in the face of this tragedy, but they stand behind the man they know as a devoted husband, father and dedicated member of the armed services."

Military officials have said that Bales, after drinking on a southern Afghanistan base, crept away March 11 to two slumbering villages overnight, shooting his victims and setting many of them on fire. Nine of the 16 killed were children and 11 belonged to one family.

Court records and interviews in recent days have revealed that Bales had a string of commendations for good conduct after four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he also faced a number of troubles in recent years: a Florida investment job went sour, his Seattle-area home was condemned as he struggled to make payments on another, and he failed to get a recent promotion.

Legal troubles included charges that he assaulted a girlfriend and, in a hit-and run accident, ran bleeding in military clothes into the woods, court records show. He told police he fell asleep at the wheel and paid a fine to get the charges dismissed, the records show.

Rebecca Steed, spokeswoman at Fort Leavenworth, said Bales would be able to meet with Browne in what is described as a privileged visit. Along with medical visits, such meetings are generally more private than others conducted in the prison.

Browne, 65, has represented clients ranging from serial killer Ted Bundy to Colton Harris-Moore, known as the "Barefoot Bandit." He has said he has handled only three or four military cases. Bales will also have at least one military lawyer.

Tall and stylish, Browne has been a prominent figure in Washington state legal circles since the 1970s, known equally for his zeal in representing his clients and his flair before television cameras.

_____

Also contributing were Associated Press writers Manuel Valdes in Seattle, John Milburn in Topeka, Kan., and Deb Riechmann in Kabul, Afghanistan.

View the original article here

Lawyer for sergeant accused in Afghan killings en route to Kansas to visit with client Monday

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
SEATTLE - With formal charges looming against his client within days, the lawyer for an Army sergeant suspected in the horrific nighttime slaughter of 16 Afghan villagers flew to Kansas and was preparing for his first face-to-face meeting with the 10-year veteran.

John Henry Browne of Seattle said he planned to meet Monday with Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, who is being held in an isolated cell at Fort Leavenworth's military prison.

Bales, 38, hasn't been charged in the March 11 shootings, which have endangered relations between the U.S. and Afghanistan and threaten to upend U.S. policy over the decade-old war. But formal charges are expected to be filed within a week and if the case goes to court the trial will be held in the United States, said a legal expert with the U.S. military familiar with the investigation.

That expert said charges were still being decided and that the location for any trial had not yet been determined. If the suspect is brought to trial, it is possible that Afghan witnesses and victims would be flown to the United States to participate, he said.

Military lawyers say once attorneys involved in the initial investigation of an alleged crime involving a service member have what they believe to be a solid understanding of what happened and are satisfied with the evidence collected, they draft charges and present them to a commander. That person then makes a judgment on whether there is probable cause to believe that an offence was committed and that the accused committed it.

That commander then "prefers" the charges to a convening authority, who typically is the commander of the brigade to which the accused is assigned but could be of higher rank.

Bales' defence team said in a statement late Saturday that "it is too early to determine what factors may have played into this incident and the defence team looks forward to reviewing the evidence, examining all of Sergeant Bales' medical and personnel records, and interviewing witnesses."

The lawyers' statement also said Bales' family was "stunned in the face of this tragedy, but they stand behind the man they know as a devoted husband, father and dedicated member of the armed services."

Military officials have said that Bales, after drinking on a southern Afghanistan base, crept away March 11 to two slumbering villages overnight, shooting his victims and setting many of them on fire. Nine of the 16 killed were children and 11 belonged to one family.

Court records and interviews in recent days have revealed that Bales had a string of commendations for good conduct after four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he also faced a number of troubles in recent years: a Florida investment job went sour, his Seattle-area home was condemned as he struggled to make payments on another, and he failed to get a recent promotion.

Legal troubles included charges that he assaulted a girlfriend and, in a hit-and run accident, ran bleeding in military clothes into the woods, court records show. He told police he fell asleep at the wheel and paid a fine to get the charges dismissed, the records show.

Rebecca Steed, spokeswoman at Fort Leavenworth, said Bales would be able to meet with Browne in what is described as a privileged visit. Along with medical visits, such meetings are generally more private than others conducted in the prison.

Browne, 65, has represented clients ranging from serial killer Ted Bundy to Colton Harris-Moore, known as the "Barefoot Bandit." He has said he has handled only three or four military cases. Bales will also have at least one military lawyer.

Tall and stylish, Browne has been a prominent figure in Washington state legal circles since the 1970s, known equally for his zeal in representing his clients and his flair before television cameras.

_____

Also contributing were Associated Press writers Manuel Valdes in Seattle, John Milburn in Topeka, Kan., and Deb Riechmann in Kabul, Afghanistan.

View the original article here