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Press Release

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Wednesday, April 22, 2008

202-482-4883

Secretary Gutierrez Statement on Castro Regime Attack on Wives of Imprisoned Dissidents

WASHINGTON—U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez released the following statement regarding news reports the forcible removal of the Ladies in White for peacefully gathering in support of the unconditional release of 55 imprisoned political dissidents in Havana:

“On Monday, the Raul Castro regime demonstrated that its approach involving human rights and political prisoners is no different from Fidel’s iron-fisted rule. Nothing substantive on the island has changed,” Gutierrez said. “Calls from the international community for real change continue to be ignored.”

The dozen protestors were attacked by approximately 100 Cuban police officers on the Plaza de la Revolucion, where they were meeting peacefully. This action demonstrates that the Castro regime has no intention of abiding by the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and evidently signed them in an exercise to buy time and goodwill in the international community.

In 2003, 75 dissidents were arrested and 55 are still in prison; one died and 19 were released for health reasons. Four of the 19 were released because they agreed to an enforced exile to Spain. At least 225 political prisoners remain locked in Cuban jails.

May 21 will be a day of solidarity with the international community honoring the Cuban people and will bring attention to the Castro regime’s reprehensible record on human rights and political prisoners.