WTF? Cuba teaches the world about prisons?

By now, I am used to the bias, intentional or otherwise, that Google News has in favor of Cuba-related items published by the various propaganda arms of the communist regime. Type in "Cuba" into the search field and the first links that come back are to "stories" in Granma, Prensa Latina, Periodico 26, etc. Not exactly the most credible sources of accurate news and information, and anyone who spends any time reading on Cuba, should know that. Most of the time, I'll just glance at the headlines and move on, not wanting to add to their traffic.

But this morning, there was one story, from Prensa Latina, whose "What the fuck?" (WTF) factor was too high to ignore:

Cuba Looks at Penal Sciences

Havana, Nov 21 (Prensa Latina) Nearly 200 delegates from 30 countries have confirmed their attendance at the 8th Congress on Penal Sciences, to be held from Tuesday through Friday in this capital.

Among participants are lawyers, judges, attorneys, forensic experts, prison center staff, criminologists, victimologists, sociologists, psychologists, university professors and related students.

Miguel Angel Garcia, from the Organizing Committee, told Prensa Latina that the aim of this forum is to foster exchange of experiences on the world development of penal sciences.

According to the jurist, the Republic's Attorney General Juan Escalona Reguera will open the Congress, in which he will analyze reiterated international problems like the application of justice and the Cuban experience about this issue.

The situation in jails, role of legal medicine and forensic psychiatry, criminology and other law sciences, organized crime, international drug and people smuggling are among issues to debate in this encounter.

Also on the list is post-modernity penal law, the attorney's role in the modern penal process, trial in the modernization process, criminal investigation, prison treatment and social rehabilitation and more.

Congresses related with this law branch have taken place uninterruptedly in Cuba every two years since 1992, attended by outstanding experts worldwide.

Admittedly, as the operator of one of the largest gulags in the world, Cuba does know something about operating a prison — as an instrument of repression and terror, not justice.

What a farce.

For more on the injustices found in the Cuban penal system, read about its victims at Payo Libre.

Also on the agenda for the Congress of Penal Sciences is this WTF moment.