CUBA: Dissidents push for release of political prisoners on sixth anniversary of imprisonment
Record ID:
1532464
CUBA: Dissidents push for release of political prisoners on sixth anniversary of imprisonment
- Title: CUBA: Dissidents push for release of political prisoners on sixth anniversary of imprisonment
- Date: 18th March 2009
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (MARCH 17, 2009) (REUTERS) CITY STREETS PERSON ENTERING HOME OF "WOMAN IN WHITE" LAURA POLLAN "WOMEN IN WHITE" MEETING PHOTO OF ONE OF THE PRISONERS ON SHIRT "WOMEN IN WHITE" LISTENING TO POLLAN READ LETTER TO BE SENT TO RAUL AND FIDEL CASTRO (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) "WOMAN IN WHITE" LAURA POLLAN SAYING: "We address you with objective to remind you that we arrived to the sixth anniversary of Cuba's black spring and there are still 74 men in prison. Their only crime was to love their country and fight peacefully so Cuba has a better future." "WOMEN IN WHITE" CHANTING: FREEDOM PICTURE OF PRISONER ARTURO SUAREZ RAMOS, SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) "WOMAN IN WHITE" LAURA POLLAN SAYING: "We sent a letter to (European Union representative Louis Michel) pointing out that in his prior visit he didn't meet with us or with anyone else from the opposition, but that we are glad he's coming on this day which is very important for us and the prisoners." VARIOUS OF "WOMEN IN WHITE" PRAYING PHOTO OF PRISONER ON SHIRT OF WOMAN PRAYING
- Embargoed: 2nd April 2009 04:08
- Keywords:
- Location: Cuba
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA98N60P469ZUJVKD2VGMQ83DFY
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: A group of mothers and wives of 75 Cuban dissidents jailed in 2003 sent a letter to Fidel and Raul Castro on Tuesday (March 16), asking the prisoners be freed.
The women, known as "Damas de Blanco" or "Women in White", said they also sent a letter to EU representative Louis Michel, who is set to arrive on the island on Wednesday.
Michel's visit coincides with the sixth anniversary of a massive crackdown against dissidents that the government accused of working with the U.S. to subvert then-leader Fidel Castro.
Laura Pollan, whose husband Hector Mesada was sentenced to 28 years, read aloud from the letter bound for the Castros at a meeting at her home.
"We address you with objective to remind you that we arrived to the sixth anniversary of Cuba's black spring and there are still 54 men in prison. Their only crime was to love their country and fight peacefully so Cuba has a better future," she read.
Of the 75 prisoners, 21 were released for health reasons. Human rights groups say there are about 200 political prisoners in Cuba.
"We sent a letter to (Louis Michel) pointing out that in his prior visit he didn't meet with us or with anyone else from the opposition, but that we are glad he's coming on this day which is very important for us and the prisoners," Pollan added.
According to the UN, Michel will meet with Cuba's new Foreign Relations Minister Bruno Rodriguez, who recently replaced Felipe Perez Roque in a cabinet shake-up by the younger Castro. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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