Czech senators support Cuban dissidents request for hel

Czech senators support Cuban dissidents' request for help

PRAGUE, Feb 22 (CTK) - The Open Democracy Club (KOD) group of senators
has supported the call by Cuban dissidents on the international
community to help stop repressions against leaders of the opponents of
Fidel Castro's regime and create a special international committee for
this purpose.

KOD member Jaromir Stetina (unaffiliated, for the Greens), paid "a
semi-illegal visit" to local dissidents in Cuba last week. He also
handed the Cuban opposition appeal to Rene van der Linden, head of the
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, in Prague today.

The 13-member KOD group comprises senators from the junior ruling
Freedom Union (US-DEU) and several small parties that are not
represented in the lower house.

The authors of the Cuban request point out that Castro's regime has
recently intensified its pressure against people voicing their
disapproval of the economic, political and situation in the country.

Tens of Cubans have been mobilised to exert physical and verbal force
against the opposition and pass it off for spontaneous disagreement with
the latter, the authors say.

The EP in early February condemned the persecution of the opposition,
repressions and non-observance of fundamental human freedoms in Cuba. It
called on Havana to immediately release all political prisoners.

The EP also indirectly asked the EU countries to change their policy
towards Cuba. Early last year, EU countries decided to suspend previous
diplomatic sanctions towards Cuba in belief that Castro's regime would
show more accommodating positions in exchange.

rtj/dr/kva
http://www.praguemonitor.com/ctk/?id=20060222E04175