Cuba indicates it will free all its political prisoners

[Judi Lynn]

Cuba indicates it will free all its political prisoners
Prisoners will be free to stay in Cuba or emigrate, say authorities in bold move to repair ties with international community
Rory Carroll, Latin America correspondent guardian.co.uk,
Sunday 25 July 2010 16.37 BST

Cuba has signalled that it will free all its political prisoners and let them stay on the island in a bold attempt to repair Havana's ties with the international community.

Senior officials said the recent release of 15 prisoners would be followed by dozens more and the dissidents would be free to stay, should they wish, or they could emigrate. The announcement was followed by another public appearance by Fidel Castro, who yesterday attended a ceremony honouring comrades killed at the outset of his revolution over half a century ago.

The 83-year-old former president wore an olive-green shirt and state media referred to him as "commander in chief", emphasising his continued influence despite being sidelined by a health crisis in 2006.

His return to the limelight has coincided with the recent prisoner releases, part of a Vatican-brokered deal in which the communist government promised to free 52 of 75 detainees jailed in a 2003 crackdown.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/25/cuba-to-free-all-political-prisoners