By David Ariosto, CNN
July 10, 2010 5:24 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* The 12 dissidents would be part of largest prisoner release in a decade
* They were detained in a 2003 crackdown
* Release follows visit by Spanish foreign minister
Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Cuba's Roman Catholic church has identified 12
more jailed dissidents who are expected to be freed in what would be the
largest Cuban prisoner release in more than a decade.
The announcement Saturday raises the number of prisoners to be released
in the next few days to 17, roughly one-third of the total amount the
government plans to release by mid-November.
The move follows a visit by Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel
Moratinos, who met with Cuban President Raul Castro and Cuban Cardinal
Jaime Ortega on Wednesday.
Cuba's church earlier announced the names of five other prisoners to be
freed, and identified six others to be transferred to prisons closer to
their homes.
The 52 political prisoners Cuba plans to release are the remainder of a
larger group of 75 dissidents who were jailed during a government
crackdown on political opposition in March 2003.
They represent roughly one-third of all known political prisoners left
on the island, according to Cuba's unofficial Commission on Human Rights
and National Reconciliation.
The prisoners will head to Spain upon their release, Spanish Foreign
Ministry spokesman Juan Lugo told CNN.
Wednesday's announcement also brought an end to a 134-day hunger strike
by Cuban opposition activist Guillermo Farinas.
Farinas stopped eating solid foods in February following the death of
jailed hunger striker and political dissident Orlando Zapata Tamayo, who
was protesting what he described as poor conditions in detention.
Zapata's death sparked international condemnation from Europe and
Washington and drew a rare statement of regret from President Castro."
http://us.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/07/10/cuba.political.prisoners/index.html?hpt=T2
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