(AP photo/Franklin Reyes)
Cuba has announced its plans to the Catholic church to free 52 political prisoners that are still in captivity. This gesture would reduce the number of captives in Cuba by 1/3 and would make it the largest release of prisoners since 1998 whwen Pope John Paul II visited the country. Catholic Cardinal Jaime Ortega said that those to be released have been being held since 2003 when they and 23 others were captured and accused of dissent for reporting on Cuba's defiance of state controls on media. The first five prisoners to be released will be exiled to Spain and no exact date for release has been announced. President Raul Castro agreed to this release after his meeting with Cardinal Ortega this past Wednesday, July 7th, 2010. The visiting Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos was also present at the meeting. The number of prisoners set for release came as a surprise to human rights activists and supporters. NPR website reported that Laura Pllan, whose husband has been imprisoned for 20 years for treason, stated that she is skeptical of the Cuban government's promises and she hopes that they will keep their word. The names of the first five prisoners set to go free have not been publicized, as some of their relatives have not yet been notified, according to Cardinal Ortega. The Cardinal also refused to divulge exactly how the five were chosen to be among the first released.
It's unclear as to whether or not the remaining prisoners will be forced into exile upon release, like the first five, or whether they will be permitted to remain on the island.
Sarah Stephens, head of the Center for Democracy in the Americas, said that the Cuban Catholic Church has been able to accomplish more in dealing with the Cuban government than any US embarg has done in the past five decades.
Virginia Staab, a Cuban-American and US State Representative cautions that more facts are needed to confirm Cuba's promise to release these 52 political prisoners and says that she believes it to be a ploy.
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