Cuba: 52 prisoners to be freed

Church officials in Havana announced the accord following talks between President Raul Castro, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, and Havana’s Roman Catholic Archbishop, Cardinal Jaime Ortega. According to reports, the 52 prisoners and their families will be exiled in Spain after assurances from Moratinos that the country would be willing to take them in.  Five detainees, whose names have not yet been disclosed, are expected to be released as early as this week, whilst the rest should be released over the next few months.

The decision is viewed as a response to international pressure on Cuba to release political prisoners, which increased considerably following the death of hunger striker Orlando Zapata Tamayo in February. The move has received mixed reactions, both inside Cuba and abroad; some believe that this could be a moment of true change and the first step towards democracy, whilst others have suggested that it does not necessarily signal a significant improvement to human rights on the island, and that forced exile in Spain does not amount to unconditional freedom.

Whilst welcoming the expected release of these cases, including seven Honorary Members of English PEN, English PEN remains concerned about the state of free expression on the island. Since 2003, there have been more writers imprisoned in Cuba that in the rest of Latin America combined. Cuba is fourth only to China, Iran and Burma in the number of writers detained. If the government delivers on this new promise, it will have a major impact on Cuba’s human rights record.

However, according to the Cuban Commission on Human Rights, Cuba’s leading human rights group, even after these releases there will still be a further 110 political prisoners in Cuban jails, including four writers of concern to PEN: Albert Santiago du Bouchet, Raymundo Perdigón Brito, Oscar Sánchez Madan and Ramón Velázquez Toranso – all of whom have been arrested since the crackdown and will therefore not be included in the amnesty.

English PEN continues to call for their immediate and unconditional release in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Cuba is a signatory and reiterate the demands made in our report, ‘Freedom of Expression in Cuba’, available to download here: /writersinprison/campaigns/cubacampaign/cuba-briefing/.

Lisa Appignanesi, President of English PEN, said:

Philip Pullman said:

“I’m delighted to hear that 52 political prisoners are being released by the Cuban government. I hope the reaction to this news will make the Cuban authorities consider releasing all the other prisoners they hold for political reasons. “

TAKE ACTION
 
Please send appeals:
 
-  Welcoming news that the Cuban government has agreed to release 52 political prisoners, including 22 writers, journalists and librarians;
- Urging the Cuban state to honour the commitments undertaken when it signed the ICCPR and the ICESCR by immediately and unconditionally releasing the other four writers of concern to PEN;
- Urging the Cuban government to ratify both the ICCPR and the ICESCR without reservations and to introduce all legislative and judicial reforms necessary for implementation as a matter of urgency.
 
Appeals to:

Head of State and Government
Raúl Castro Ruz
Presidente
La Habana, Cuba
Fax: 53 7 8333085 (via Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
1 2127791697 (via Cuban Mission to UN)
Email: cuba@un.int (c/o Cuban Mission to UN)
Salutation: Su Excelencia/Your Excellency

We recommend that you send copies of your appeal letters to the Cuban Embassy in London:
 
His Excellency Renee Juan Mujica Cantelar
Cuban Embassy
167 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6PA
 
Email:embacuba@cubaldn.com
Fax: 020 7836 2602
 
** Please let us know if you send an appeal, and certainly if you receive a response from the Cuban authorities by emailing writersinprison@englishpen.org ***