Arnaldo Ramos
The Archdiocese of Havana this afternoon announced that two of the 13 prisoners of conscience still in jail after a Nov. 7 deadline for their release will soon be freed.
According to a news release, Arnaldo Ramos Lauzurique is being paroled for "humanitarian" reasons and will be allowed to remain in Cuba.
The second prisoner, Luis Enrique Ferrer García, will leave for Spain once he is released, according to the announcment.
No exact date for when the prisoners would be released was included in the church statement.
The EFE news agency had reported earlier today that a church official claiming to represent Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega had told Ramos' wife that he could be released from prison within "hours or days."
Ramos and Ferrer, imprisoned since the "black spring" of 2003, had been listed among the 13 Cuban prisoners of conscience who have refused to accept forced exile to Spain as a condition of their release. Thirty-nine other prisoners covered by a deal between the church, the Spanish government and the Castro dictatorship have been released and taken exile.
The Miami Herald had reported earlier this week that Ferrer was prepared to leave for Spain if he could be assured that relatives would be able to keep ownership of his house.
On Friday, the wife of another prisoner, Diosdado González Marrero told reporters that she had heard her husband might be released in 15 days to a month.
Recent Comments