Cuba to free 6 more political prisoners into exile
The Associated Press
HAVANA, Cuba -- Cuba's Roman Catholic Church on Friday revealed the
names of six more political prisoners to be released into exile in Spain
under a sweeping agreement with President Raul Castro's government.
The men are among 75 dissidents who were arrested in a March 2003
crackdown on dissidents and sentenced to lengthy prison terms on charges
that included treason.
In a landmark deal, Cuba agreed July 7 to release the remaining 52
prisoners still jailed from the crackdown, which human rights activists
call the "Black Spring."
Word of the latest releases bring to 26 the number freed so far - and
all have agreed to leave Cuba for Spain, with one then settling in Chile.
Church official Orlando Marquez said the next six slated for release are
Marcelo Manuel Cano Rodriguez, Regis Iglesias Ramirez, Juan Carlos
Herrera Acosta, Efren Fernandez Fernandez, Fabio Prieto Llorente and
Juan Adolfo Feranndez Sainz.
Both the Cuban government and the church say releasing all 52 will take
months. Still, Friday's announcement was the first word of new releases
in nearly two weeks, after an initial wave of 20 prisoners were freed
fairly quickly.
Some political prisoners in Cuba have been offered freedom but have
declined, saying they want to stay in their homeland. It is not clear if
those released subsequently will be exiled or if some will be allowed to
stay in the country.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/13/1775184/cuba-to-free-6-more-political.html
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