Cuba has Nov. 7 'deadline' to release 13 political prisoners

UPDATED, Nov. 7, 2010 — The 13 prisoners remain in jail, despite the passing of the deadline.

UPDATED, Nov. 6, 2010 — Re-posting this as a reminder to everyone that these 13 heroes are not forgotten.

The Cuban Catholic Church announced July 7 that "within three to four months from this moment," the Castro dictatorship would release 52 political prisoners in jail since the "black spring" of 2003.

Which means next Sunday, Nov. 7 is a deadline of sorts for the 13 dissidents still in jail, some because they refuse to accept forced exile to Spain as a condition of their release, to be set free.

"Of sorts," because the "deadline" matters to the dictatorship only to the extent that meeting it serves its interests. And even if it does meet it by releasing the prisoners and allowing them to stay in Cuba, it does not mean anything has changed.

The 13 prisoners are:

Pedro Argüelles Morán

Oscar Biscet González

Eduardo Díaz Fleitas

José Ferrer García

Luis Ferrer García

Diosdado González Marrero

Iván Hernández Carrillo

Librado Linares García

Héctor Maseda Gutiérrez

Angel Moya Acosta

Félix Navarro Rodríguez

Arnaldo Ramos Lauzerique

Guido Sigler Amaya