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Symbolic prison cell in
support for Cuban political prisoners in
Prague
People
in Need.
March 16, 2007, Prague - This March, People
in Need (PIN) is commemorating the fourth
anniversary of a brutal crackdown on the
democratic opposition in Cuba. In March
2003 Castro's regime imprisoned 75 political
activists and sentenced them to long years
in prison.
On Thursday, March 15, 2007 the anniversary
began with a demonstration outside the Cuban
embassy on Sibiøské námìstí
(Siberian Square) in Prague 6. About 100
people gathered in front of the embassy
and called for the release of Cuban political
prisoners and for democratic change in Cuba.
Among the speakers were former dissidents
who came to express their support of those
who suffer in the same way as they did under
the communistic Czechoslovakia. "It
is a shame that Cuba still imprisons people
for their opinions, but one day freedom
will conquer on this beautiful island because
freedom is part of human nature," said
Jan Ruml, former dissident and one of actors
of transition to democracy in Czechoslovakia.
As in past years, a symbolic Cuban prison
cell will be built on Wenceslas square in
the centre of the Czech capital today. Distinguished
Czech personalities, symbolically dressed
in prisoner's clothes, will 'serve time'
for each of the Cuban political prisoners.
At 2.30 p.m. women representatives of Charter
77, a former Czech dissident movement, will
be symbolically imprisoned as a gesture
of their support of Cuban political prisoners'
wives (Damas de Blanco). In the late afternoon
(4 p.m.) theatre performances will take
place near the prison cell. At 6:30 p.m.
there will be a joint march dedicated to
the Damas de Blanco, which will finish in
St. Havel's Church, where holy mass will
be celebrated for political prisoners in
Cuba.
"Events like this prison cell in Prague,
are very important for Cubans. It is a great
encouragement for us to know, that in Europe
there are still people supporting us and
our cause and organizing such events,"
stated Ramon Colas, a former Cuban dissident
now living in exile who visited Prague during
the recent One World Human Rights Documentary
Film Festival.
For more information about this event and
other commemorative events in Europe please
visit www.cubaprison.org or www.peopleinneed.cz.
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