Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-04-22-Speech-4-245"
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"en.20040422.9.4-245"2
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"Mr President, an unprecedented wave of repression hit Cuba in March and April 2003 under the pretext of the active role played among political opponents by those representing the interests of the US in Havana. Almost 80 civilians were arrested, tried and given very heavy prison sentences, ranging from six to 28 years.
Those arrested were tried very quickly: in a matter of weeks – or even days – in the course of trials not open to the public. The defendants were aided by lawyers not belonging to independent bar associations. The conditions of detention of these people raise serious concerns, insofar as the Cuban authorities are providing hardly any information on the matter.
Faced with this situation, we urge the Cuban authorities to free these political prisoners and are anxious to remind them that freedom of expression is a fundamental right. Last month, a delegation from Reporters Without Borders, accompanied by relatives of unfairly condemned prisoners, came to protest and call for the help of the European Parliament in fighting to defend freedoms.
I am anxious to stress that Cuba has ratified a number of conventions in the area of human rights and I call on the Cuban authorities to respect their undertakings. Cuba cannot, for all that, use the admittedly disastrous consequences of the embargo, which has lasted for more than 40 years, to claim that some of its nationals, described in particular as mercenaries in the service of foreign powers, have had their human rights systematically violated."@en1
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