26 March 2003
Text: Bush Condemns
Castro's Crackdown on Dissidents
(Cuban government recently has jailed over 75 activists) (220)
President George Bush condemned the government of Cuban dictator Fidel
Castro on March 26 for its intensified repression of pro-democracy and human
rights activists, according to a statement by the White House press
secretary.
The statement noted that the Castro government has jailed over 75 dissidents
in the past days and calls for their release.
Following is the text of the statement:
(begin text)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
March 26, 2003
STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY
Castro Government Cracks Down on Pro-Democracy and Human Rights Activists
President Bush condemns the Castro government's intensified repression of
Cuba's growing pro-democracy and human rights activists. Over the past days,
the Cuban government has jailed over 75 of these activists throughout the
country. We call upon the Castro government to release immediately Marta
Beatriz Roque, Rene Gomez Manzano, Felix Bonne, Oscar Elias Biscet, and all
other unjustly imprisoned dissidents. Arrest of these dissidents comes on
the heels of recent personal attacks by the Cuban government against our
diplomats in Havana. As our senior diplomat in Havana, James Cason, has
commented, "Sadly the Cuban government is afraid, afraid of freedom of
conscience, afraid of freedom of expression, afraid of human rights...."
(end text)
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Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov) |
