Former Cuban political prisoner Alan Gross to discuss his detention and the need for Cubans to have Internet access, March 15

Former Cuban political prisoner Alan Gross of the United States will speak and answer media questions at a National Press Club Newsmaker 10 a.m., Tues., March 15, in the club’s Bloomberg Room.

This news conference will occur just before President Obama travels to Cuba. Gross will describe what he endured for the five years of his detention, what he believes Cuba should do to assure the freedom of Internet information access he fought to achieve for the Cuban people, and what the U.S. should do regarding Cuban policy to achieve this goal.

Gross, who has worked to provide trade facilitation advice to clients in emerging markets and designed multi-million dollar internet-based satellite communications services to business and government organizations, was a political prisoner in Cuba from 2009-2014. After he was freed, President Obama introduced him at the 2015 State of the Union. President Obama will travel to Cuba March 21 as the first sitting U.S. President to visit the island in 88 years.

For more information about the event, contact: Bob Weiner 301-283-0821, cell 202-306-1200, [email protected]