With Castro's Departure, Cuba Should Seize Opportunity to Respect Basic Rights, Says Amnesty International

With Castro's Departure, Cuba Should Seize Opportunity to Respect Basic
Rights, Says Amnesty International
Posted : Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:40:53 GMT
Author : Amnesty International
Category : PressRelease
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NEW YORK, Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Amnesty International said
today Cuba's new leadership should seize the opportunity to make
fundamental reforms to guarantee basic rights for its citizens and urged
Cuba to allow United Nations and other independent human rights bodies
to visit the country.

The organization said the reforms should begin with the unconditional
release of all prisoners of conscience.

"The new Cuban leadership must take advantage of this change to
introduce much needed reforms to guarantee the protection of human
rights," said Javier Zuniga, special advisor to Amnesty International.
"Reform must start with the unconditional release of all prisoners of
conscience, the judicial review of all sentences passed after unfair
trials, the abolition of the death penalty and the introduction of
measures to ensure respect of fundamental freedoms and the independence
of the judiciary."

The organization also urged the international community, and in
particular the United States, to abolish policies and practices that
impinge on the human rights of Cubans, such as the U.S. embargo.

On Monday, responding to Cuba's release of four activists whom Amnesty
International has designated prisoners of conscience, the organization
said it hoped their release was a sign that Cuba was moving toward
greater respect for human rights.

The four released -- reporters Jose Ramon and Alejandro Gonzalez,
dissident Omar Pernet and trade unionist Pedro Alvarez -- were among 75
prominent figures convicted of being mercenaries in the pay of the
United States five years ago.

"The release of the four Cuban prisoners of conscience is a very
positive step but we must not forget that at least 58 people remain in
prisons across Cuba for the sole reason of expressing their political
views," said Kerrie Howard, deputy director at Amnesty International's
Americas Program.

"We hope that the recent release is a sign of change in Cuba, a further
openness to improving respect for human rights, including the right to
freedom of expression and association," said Howard.

Amnesty International has adopted 58 people as prisoners of conscience
-- held because of their political or religious beliefs or because of
their sex, nationality or ethnicity.

Amnesty International

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/with-castros-departure-cuba-should-seize-opportunity-to-respect-basic,284196.shtml