Cuban bishops still see 'promise' of freedom for political prisoners

Cuban bishops still see 'promise' of freedom for political prisoners

MIAMI (CNS) -- The Cuban government may have missed a deadline to
release 13 prisoners of conscience detained in Cuba, but the work of the
church on their behalf -- and for all prisoners on the island,
regardless of their offense -- will continue, said Cuba Bishop Arturo
Gonzalez of Santa Clara during a news conference Nov. 8 in Miami. The
Cuban church, led by Havana Cardinal Jaime Ortega, has been successfully
negotiating the release of Cuban prisoners of conscience since this past
summer, when the death of one of the prisoners, who was on a hunger
strike, and the rough treatment of the Ladies in White, a group of women
who protested peacefully each Sunday in Havana, brought international
condemnation to the Castro regime. So far, thanks to the intervention of
the Cuban church, 39 from a list of 52 dissidents have been freed and
repatriated to Spain along with more than 200 of their relatives.
However, some of the dissidents have said they want to be released and
allowed to remain in Cuba. "There is an offer of liberty for those
prisoners who want to leave, and a promise of liberty for those
prisoners who want to stay in the country," Bishop Gonzalez said. He
said the work of the church on behalf of the prisoners has been ongoing,
"effective" and not always public.

http://www.georgiabulletin.org/world/2010/11/11/US-1/