230 POLITICAL PRISONERS.The number of Cubans behind bars for political reasons rose by 20 to 230 people in the first half of this year, said the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, reports Reuters (July 3, 2002). The rise ended a downward trend during the last decade and was due to increased political repression Political repression is the oppression or persecution of an individual or group for political reasons, particularly for the purpose of restricting or preventing their ability to take part in the political life of society. on the island, mainly in February and March, it said. The commission, headed by veteran activist Elizardo Sanchez Elizardo Sanchez Santa-Cruz (1944- ) is a Cuban human rights campaigner and founder of the Cuban Human Rights and National Reconciliation Commission, a group supporting change in Cuba. Sanchez was born in Santiago de Cuba. , is a dissident group with no legal recognition in Cuba but is tolerated by President Fidel Castro's Government. Sanchez said he did not have recent information on at least 30 more political prisoners and believed they were still in jail. They were not included in the tally of 230. Cuba is the only country in the hemisphere that does not allow the International Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations access to its jails, said Sanchez. The Castro Government considers all dissidents to be pawns Pawn(s) may refer to:
He won the Sakharov Prize, awarded by the European Union. References 1. ^ Cuban dissidents. , after he served almost five years on charges of subversion sub·ver·sion n. 1. a. The act or an instance of subverting. b. The condition of being subverted. 2. Obsolete A cause of overthrow or ruin. for a document he authored criticizing the communist economic system. *** Copyright 2002 |
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