Washington again urges Cuba to release US detainee

The White House Wednesday once again urged Havana to release a US citizen languishing in a Cuban prison over the past five years, saying such a move would pave the way for better relations with between the two countries.

Spokesman Josh Earnest said Alan Gross, now 65, was arrested Dec 3, 2009 by the Cuban authorities for his "efforts to help ordinary Cuban citizens have greater access to information through the Internet", while Havana accused him of providing satellite communication equipment to anti-government groups.

Gross was sentenced to 15 years in prison in March 2011 by a Cuban court on charges of spying and working to topple the Cuban government. The Obama administration has appealed for his release time and again over the years, Xinhua reported.

"The administration remains focused on securing Alan's freedom from a Cuban prison," Earnest said. "We remain deeply concerned for Alan's health, and reiterate our call for his release."

"The Cuban government's release of Alan on humanitarian grounds would remove an impediment to more constructive relations between the US and Cuba," he added.