Alarming drop in health of Cuban political prisoners

'Alarming' drop in health of Cuban political prisoners
Thursday, November 10, 2005

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Dozens of Cuban political prisoners are experiencing
"alarming" health deterioration and should be released, a Cuban rights
group said Wednesday.

"We appeal to the international public, to democratic governments and to
humanitarian organizations to intervene with the Cuban government in
order to obtain the immediate release of all Cuban political prisoners
whose health situation has become alarming," said the Cuban Commission
of Human Rights and National Reconciliation.

The commission, branded illegal by the Cuban government, said that the
ill prisoners' conditions are "totally incompatible" with the prison
system.

It said some of the prisoners are being held in the Havana Marianao
military hospital, while others are in the Combinado del Este prison
hospital outside of the capital.

The commission noted that 14 political prisoners were freed this year
for health reasons.

However, it said, "Other political prisoners are victims of dangerous
diseases due to the generally inhumane and degrading conditions under
which they remain imprisoned."

"The only true solution is the immediate and unconditional release of
all Cuban prisoners of conscience, to close the political prisons in
Cuba and not to jail more people for their political opinions," said the
commission.

According to the commission's data, around 330 people are being held as
political prisoners by the Fidel Castro regime.

http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2005/11/10/health.shtml