US denies visas to Cubans who persecuted 75 dissidents jailed one year ago

Friday, March 19, 2004

WASHINGTON, USA (AFP): The State Department announced Thursday it will deny visas to any Cuban who helped persecute 75 dissidents jailed a year ago for speaking out against the regime.

"As part of our response to regime repression, we are holding answerable those who abetted the regime in this miscarriage of justice, deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said.

"If visa applications are received from persons who participated in the trials, we will henceforth seek to deny them using legal means appropriate to the case."

Rounded up and jailed from March 18 last year, the 75 dissidents were handed prison terms of up to 28 years after being quickly found guilty of offenses against state security.

Cuba has defied international criticism of one of the worst waves of repression it has launched against dissidents, many of them ailing.

"By taking this step today, we are also making clear to all Cubans that there is and will be a cost associated with participating in or facilitating repressive acts.

"At the show trials that followed the arrests, hundreds of people, namely court officials, judges, prosecutors, attorneys and witnesses, willingly participated to convict and sentence innocent people whose only 'crime' was to speak the truth about the Castro regime.

"As a result of those actions, 75 dissidents were unjustly sentenced to an average of 20 years in prison," Ereli said.

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