Monday, February 21, 2011

Released political prisoner in Cuba Iván Hernández Carrillo

Havana (Cuba). - The Cuban opposition Iván Hernández Carrillo, one of the prisoners of conscience from the Group of 75, was released today with a medical parole and is now at home in the western province of Matanzas, as he confirmed to Efe. Hernández Carrillo, 39, said his release went "without incident" and now plans to return to work as a freelance journalist and fight "for freedom" in Cuba.

The dissident's release by the Cuban authorities came only hours after the Cuban Catholic Church disclosed that a statement Saturday announcing that he would be released soon. Hernández Carrillo is one of the prisoners of the Group of 75 that had rejected the condition of exile to get out of jail, where he was serving a sentence of 25 years after being arrested in the crackdown against dissent in the 2003 crackdown.

As recounted in a telephone interview with EFE, this morning security officials moved him from prison where he was at his home in the town of Colon in Matanzas, and handed the document supporting their parole. "We plan to continue doing the same work of independent journalism that you did before to inform the public of what happens in Cuba," he said.

Hernández Carrillo also mentioned the "undeniable commitment" that has Damas de Blanco, and said he hopes to travel soon to Havana to thank them for their usual peaceful protest every Sunday for the release of political prisoners. In assessing the process of releases of political prisoners, which began in July 2010, the journalist insisted that was developed in a "long overdue" because "the government has acted late." "I have faith that in the coming days will make the releases of my other colleagues and I hope that at least two at a time then," said Hernández Carrillo, referring to the six prisoners from the Group of 75 to reap the prison.

The opposition said it plans to stay at home and "continue to defend the freedoms we confiscated."

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