The "Group of 75" political prisoners arrested and imprisoned during the "black spring" of 2003 — some of whom has been released this summer and fall and forced into exile — are Cuba's most famous political prisoners. There is no reason to dispute that notion.
But they are not the only ones imprisoned because of their political opposition to the Castro dictatorship, yet up to now, no one — especially the Spanish government and the Catholic Church, which have worked hard to make the releases as painless as possible for the dictatorship — have taken up the cause of those whose names are not as well known as Oscar Elias Biscet, the Sigler Amaya brothers and others in the Group of 75.
But reports are that we may soon see some action on behalf of the lesser known political prisoners in the Castro gulag.
Radio Martí reports that Bertha Soler, the wife of Group of 75 member Angel Moyá Acosta, has been advised by officials with the Spanish government, the European Union and the Cuban Catholic Church that other political prisoners will be released once the release of the Group of 75 members is complete later this year.
One proviso, however, would be that that only political prisoners not accused of acts of violence would be released. Lists of political prisoners compiled by Cuban human rights groups include the names of prisoners who have been convicted of "terrorism" and other violent acts, in part because their prosecutions by the Cuban state were politically motivated and all semblance of due process ignored.
Still, this report is good news, as it highlights the need to keep the pressure on the Castro dictatorship, and to not rewarded for what it has done so far.
Soler has been a leading member of the Damas De Blanco, but in considering her comments, remember this: Her husband, Angel Moyá, is one of about a dozen Group of 75 members who have made it clear they would rather stay in jail than to be released only be expelled from the island.
Why then would she allow herself to be used to communicate the tantalizing prospect of more prisoner releases?
Just another one of those questions that has confounded many trying to understand and evaluate what has happened this year in Cuba.
UPDATED, Oct. 3, 2010 — Reuters has more, in English, about the possible release and expulsion from the island of more political prisoners. How many may be eligible depends on which list you use.
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