52 Cuban political prisoners are free to go
BY JUAN O. TAMAYO
jtamayo@ElNuevoHerald.com
The Cuban government will free 52 political prisoners and allow them to
leave the island, the country's Catholic church announced Wednesday in
what would amount to Havana's largest release of jailed opponents in
three decades.
Cuban leader Raúl Castro gave Havana Cardinal Jaime Ortega the news at a
meeting Wednesday, their latest encounter in nearly two months of
unprecedented negotiations between the communist government and church
leaders over the island's estimated 160 political prisoners.
Castro told Ortega that five prisoners will be released Wednesday, with
permission to leave for Spain, and another 47 will be freed in no more
than four months, said a communiqué signed by the spokesman for the
Havana archbishop's office, Orlando Márquez.
The 52 are all part of the 75 dissidents sentenced to prison terms of up
to 28 years during a 2003 crackdown on opposition figures known as
Cuba's Black Spring, Márquez reported. The others were previously
released because of health conditions.
``Ortega was informed that in the next few hours another six prisoners
will be transferred to [jails in] their home provinces and five more
will be freed, and will be able to leave soon for Spain, accompanied by
their families,'' the communique said.
``The Cuban authorities also informed that the 47 prisoners remaining of
those who were detained in 2003 will be freed and will be able to leave
the country,'' the communique added. ``This process will be concluded in
three to four months from now.''
The releases were likely to draw praise from the Obama Administration
and the European Union, which have been urging Cuba to improve its human
rights record if it wants to clear the way for improved diplomatic
relations.
Castro and Ortega have been negotiating the release of some political
prisoners, and improved jail conditions for others, since May in the
Havana government's first-ever negotiations with an independent Cuban
organization.
Up untill Wednesday, the talks had led to the release of one wheel-chair
bound political prisoner Ariel Sigler, and the transfer of another dozen
to prisons closer to their homes.
About 3,600 political prisoners were freed or were allowed to leave Cuba
as a result of negotiations in 1978 between the government and a
controversial group of Cuban exiles.
The church communique said Castro informed Ortega of the upcoming
releases at a meeting also joined by visiting Spanish Foreign Minister
Miguel Angel Moratinos and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.
Ortega had met separately with Moratinos and Rodriguez hours before the
session with Castro, it added.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/07/1719641/52-cuban-political-prisoners-are.html
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