In July 2005, Orthodox Church priest Ricardo Santiago Medina Salabarría was arrested during a protest outside the French embassy in Havana. He was accused of "public disorder," although he was never formally charged.
Cuban "justice" sometimes is unjust that way.
On Wednesday afternoon, after 15 months in the gulag, Medina was released, according to a report from journalist Shelyn Rojas.
While in prison, according to Rojas' report, Medina wore only shorts and a white T-shirt, as he refused to wear a jail uniform.
Rojas' story speculates that Medina was released after his wife, Katia Sonia Martín Véliz, made a direct appeal to a government prosecutor.
In notifying Medina of his release, a security official told the priest he would be returned to prison if he continued his opposition activities and advised that he consult with the U.S. Interests Section in Havana about leaving the country with his family.
Medina told Rojas he would resume his priestly duties, "and pray for the release of all political prisoners and their peaceful struggle for democracy on the island."
As a footnote to this story, journalist Rojas has been summoned this morning for a not-so-friendly chat with Cuban police, apparently to talk about why she should choose another line of work.
It's a familar tactic used to threaten Cuba's independent press into silence.
Most of the time, thank God, the cops fail miserably.
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