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| Cuba to free 3,522 prisoners ahead of Pope Francis's visit | Cuba to free 3,522 prisoners ahead of Pope Francis's visit |
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| Cuba will pardon and release 3,522 prisoners ahead of next week’s visit by Pope Francis, the third time the country has granted inmates freedom before a papal visit. | Cuba will pardon and release 3,522 prisoners ahead of next week’s visit by Pope Francis, the third time the country has granted inmates freedom before a papal visit. |
| Related: Pope Francis will meet Fidel Castro in Cuba – if ex-president's health allows | Related: Pope Francis will meet Fidel Castro in Cuba – if ex-president's health allows |
| There was no immediate indication whether those to be pardoned included people considered political prisoners by dissidents or human rights organisations. | There was no immediate indication whether those to be pardoned included people considered political prisoners by dissidents or human rights organisations. |
| Cuba, which officially denies it has political prisoners, said those convicted of crimes against state security would not be among the 3,522 to be pardoned and released within three days. | |
| “On the occasion of the visit by His Holiness Pope Francis, the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba (the highest governmental body)... agreed to pardon 3,522 prisoners, chosen due by the nature of the acts for which they were jailed, their behavior in prison, the time of punishment and health concerns,” the official daily Granma said on Friday. | |
| The exemptions would rule out freedom for some of the estimated 60 people identified as political prisoners by the dissident Commission of Human Rights and National Reconciliation. | The exemptions would rule out freedom for some of the estimated 60 people identified as political prisoners by the dissident Commission of Human Rights and National Reconciliation. |
| Among these 60 are seven armed anti-government infiltrators, about a dozen who hijacked or attempted to hijack a plane or boats to leave the country, four armed soldiers and a civilian collaborator who helped them try to desert, and others accused of violence or spying. | Among these 60 are seven armed anti-government infiltrators, about a dozen who hijacked or attempted to hijack a plane or boats to leave the country, four armed soldiers and a civilian collaborator who helped them try to desert, and others accused of violence or spying. |
| However, the commission also says about two dozen peaceful political activists are held as political prisoners on the communist-ruled Caribbean island. | However, the commission also says about two dozen peaceful political activists are held as political prisoners on the communist-ruled Caribbean island. |
| Among the most celebrated is artist Danilo Maldonado, alias “El Sexto”, who is awaiting trial on a charge of “disrespect” for painting “Fidel” and “Raúl” on a pair of pigs in a satire of former president Fidel Castro and his brother, the current president, Raúl Castro, the commission said. | Among the most celebrated is artist Danilo Maldonado, alias “El Sexto”, who is awaiting trial on a charge of “disrespect” for painting “Fidel” and “Raúl” on a pair of pigs in a satire of former president Fidel Castro and his brother, the current president, Raúl Castro, the commission said. |
| Neither the commission nor the Patriotic Union of Cuba (Unpacu), the country’s largest dissident group, knew of any releases as of Friday morning, its leaders said. | Neither the commission nor the Patriotic Union of Cuba (Unpacu), the country’s largest dissident group, knew of any releases as of Friday morning, its leaders said. |
| The Roman Catholic church in Cuba would not comment on the pardons until bishops had met to discuss them, a church spokesman said. | The Roman Catholic church in Cuba would not comment on the pardons until bishops had met to discuss them, a church spokesman said. |
| Related: Pope Francis will meet Fidel Castro in Cuba – if ex-president's health allows | Related: Pope Francis will meet Fidel Castro in Cuba – if ex-president's health allows |
| Francis’s visit this month is part of steadily improving relations between Cuba and the Catholic church after decades of strained ties in the years after the 1959 Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro. | Francis’s visit this month is part of steadily improving relations between Cuba and the Catholic church after decades of strained ties in the years after the 1959 Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro. |
| Cuba released about 300 prisoners including 101 political prisoners ahead of Pope John Paul’s landmark visit in 1998, said Elizardo Sánchez, president of the human rights commission. Cuba freed 2,900 common prisoners ahead of the 2012 visit by Pope Benedict. | Cuba released about 300 prisoners including 101 political prisoners ahead of Pope John Paul’s landmark visit in 1998, said Elizardo Sánchez, president of the human rights commission. Cuba freed 2,900 common prisoners ahead of the 2012 visit by Pope Benedict. |
| More recently, Cuba released 53 political prisoners in conjunction with the 17 December announcement of detente with United States. Cuba at that time also freed US aid contractor Alan Gross, who had been held for five years, and a Cuban man who had been caught spying for the Americans, the latter in exchange for three Cuban spies held in the United States. | More recently, Cuba released 53 political prisoners in conjunction with the 17 December announcement of detente with United States. Cuba at that time also freed US aid contractor Alan Gross, who had been held for five years, and a Cuban man who had been caught spying for the Americans, the latter in exchange for three Cuban spies held in the United States. |
| Among those to be released now are prisoners older than 60, those younger than 20 with no previous criminal history, the chronically ill, women, some who were due for conditional release in 2016, and foreigners whose repatriation could be assured, Cuba said. | Among those to be released now are prisoners older than 60, those younger than 20 with no previous criminal history, the chronically ill, women, some who were due for conditional release in 2016, and foreigners whose repatriation could be assured, Cuba said. |
| Those who will not be pardoned, with a few humanitarian exceptions, include people convicted of murder, rape, child abuse, cattle rustling or illegal slaughter, drug trafficking, and offences against state security. | Those who will not be pardoned, with a few humanitarian exceptions, include people convicted of murder, rape, child abuse, cattle rustling or illegal slaughter, drug trafficking, and offences against state security. |