U.S.-Cuba Democracy PAC: Gross Sentence Unjust

The U.S.-Cuba Democracy PAC issued the following statement about the conviction of American contractor Alan Gross by Cuban authorities:

The Castro regime has just announced the simultaneous conviction and sentencing of American development worker Alan Gross to 15 years in prison.

It's unlikely a coincidence that the Castro regime makes this announcement on a Saturday afternoon, as the world's attention is focused on the natural disasters ravaging Japan.

Alan Gross has already been held by the Castro regime without charges or trial for 14 months for helping the island's Jewish community connect to the Internet.

The time has come for the Obama Administration to turn its rhetoric into tangible repercussions against the Castro regime. It must make unquestionably clear to rogue regimes that American hostage taking is unacceptable and will not reap dividends.