Havana, Cuba, Jun 11, 2010 / 20:24 pm
Orlando Marquez, the director of the Catholic magazine Palabra Nueva, said this week the Church in Cuba is hopeful the communist government will make more gestures similar to the recent decision to allow several political prisoners to be transferred to prisons near their hometowns.
Speaking to reporters, Marquez said there is hope that “what has been started will continue … There is nothing to indicate that the process has hit a snag or has concluded.”
Any new gesture by the government to alleviate the condition of political prisoners “will be welcomed immediately,” he added.
Church and government officials recently initiated a dialogue over the situation facing dozens of political prisoners, which led to a decision to allow some prisoners to be moved to facilities closer to their families.
According to Cuban political dissidents, there are some 200 prisoners of conscience being held in Cuba.