Two more Cuban dissidents released
(19 Jun 2004) 1. Exterior of Cuban dissident, Orlando Fundora Alvarez's house 2. Doorway of house with family inside 3. Alvarez's grand sons playing 4. Sign in Spanish "La Casa del Preso" (Home of the Prisoner) 5. Photos and sign "Libertad" (Freedom) 6. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Orlando Fundora, Cuban Dissident: "What I want is freedom for all prisoners in Cuba, not just for the 75. That is what I have always advocated. The rights of the people should be respected." 7. Cameraman and children 8. Alvarez with his wife and grandson 9. Alvarez's wife and grandson 10. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Orlando Fundora, Cuban Dissident: "There are 17 or 18 countries that are offering us asylum because I am so sick. I will never leave my country behind nor my brothers who are being detained for unjust reasons, mainly because of freedom for our country." 11. Exterior of Carmelo Diaz's house 12. Diaz and wife Dulce Diaz walking inside home 13. Diaz speaking with Press 14. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carmelo Diaz Fernandez, Cuban Dissident: "The humane treatment in prison was good. I cannot say I was mistreated. I cannot say I was tortured or mistreated physically or morally. I was treated well in prison." 15. Diaz with press 16. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carmelo Diaz Fernandez, Cuban Dissident: "I plan to leave, since I've already been in prison, I feel very unstable and I think I will be better off outside Cuba than here." 17. Diaz Fernandez and wife with Press 18. Dulce Diaz crying with husband by her side 19. Exterior Diaz's home STORYLINE Two more of the 75 dissidents jailed in the Cuban government's crackdown on the opposition last year were freed on Friday for medical reasons. The sudden liberation of human rights activist Orlando Fundora Alvarez and independent union leader Carmelo Diaz Fernandez brings to four the number of people in the original group of 75 to be let out early because they were seriously ill. The other 71 remain behind bars. Diaz Fernandez, 67, serving a 16-year sentence, and Fundora Alvarez, 49, serving 18 years, both have severe heart problems. "What I want is freedom for all prisoners in Cuba, not just for the 75. That is what I have always advocated. The rights of the people should be respected", said Orlando Fundora sitting in his living room at home. The 75 people arrested in last year's crackdown were rounded up in March 2003 and charged with working with U.S. officials to undermine Cuba's socialist system, something that both the dissidents and the American government deny. Following the arrests the dissidents were sentenced to prison terms ranging from six to 28 years. "I plan to leave, since I've already been in prison, I feel very unstable and I think I will be better off outside of Cuba", said Diaz Fernandez hours after his release. Another one of the original 75, 47-year-old Miguel Valdes Tamayo, was let out last week because of heart and blood pressure problems. Julio Antonio Valdez Guevara, 52, who suffers from hypertension and kidney dysfunction, got out in April. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
