HAVANA, March 4 (UPI) -- The wife of an American held on conspiracy charges has asked the Cuban government to free her husband on humanitarian grounds.
Alan Gross has been held in a Cuban jail since his arrest in 2009 and prosecutors are seeking a 20-year prison term, CNN reported.
Gross is charged with importing illegal satellite equipment to connect dissidents to the Internet. The United States said Gross, who was held for more than a year before being formally charged, was helping Cuba's Jewish community improve communications.
His wife, Judy, asked Cuba to release him on humanitarian grounds. His mother has been diagnosed with lung cancer and a daughter has breast cancer.
"Alan is an incredibly loving father. We've been married 40 years. His daughters miss him terribly," Judy Gross said.
The trial was scheduled to start Friday.
Cuban President Raul Castro said in 2009 Gross was illegally distributing "satellite communications equipment" to dissidents.
"The U.S. government has not renounced its goal of destroying the revolution," Castro said. "The enemy is as active as always. Proof of that is the detention, in the last few days, of an American citizen."
U.S. officials have widely criticized Cuba's detention of Gross.
"We deplore the Cuban government's announcement that Cuban prosecutors intend to seek a 20-year sentence for Mr. Gross," said Gloria Berbena, public affairs officer for the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana.
