13 dissidents arrested in Cuba

Havana, Sep 28 (IANS) At least 13 opponents of Cuba’s communist government who were to take part in a march here to demand better conditions for political prisoners have been arrested, said Marta Beatriz Roque, the dissident leader of the outlawed Assembly to Promote Civil Society.

Roque said Thursday that among those arrested was Jorge Luis Garcia Perez, known as “Antunez”, who was released from prison in April after serving a 17-year sentence for opposing the government, reported Spanish news agency EFE.


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Those arrested, Roque said, had planned to participate in a peaceful march to deliver a letter to the Cuban Justice Ministry demanding improvements in the situation of political prisoners behind bars.

Elizardo Sanchez, who heads the Cuban Commission on Human Rights and National Reconciliation, said his organisation so far had confirmed four arrests and was investigating the whereabouts of 12 other dissidents.

“In total, there could be at least 16 and we have reason to believe that they are in the hands of the police, but we haven’t been able to confirm it with the relatives (of the supposedly arrested people),” Sanchez said.

Despite the arrests, Roque, accompanied by six supporters from her organisation, delivered the letter addressed to Justice Minister Maria Esther Reus at the ministry headquarters.

The text, which Roque said had more than 200 signatures on it, denounced the government for the treatment of political prisoners. Numerous political prisoners are subjected to beatings and torture. “Lack of medical attention, denial of approved benefits, poor nutrition, and harassment from common prisoners” is the normal way of treating political prisoners in the jails, the letter said.

“We demand that the political prisoners be treated with dignity, because they are human beings, and in addition, innocent,” the letter said.

“Those who think differently from the government and now find themselves in prison must be released,” insists the letter.

The Cuban Commission on Human Rights and National Reconciliation, considered illegal by the island’s communist government, estimates that there are some 270 political prisoners in Cuba.

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