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Cuban political prisoner's wife meets with President Bush and speaks before the OAS
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

President George W. Bush meets with Yamile Llanes Labrada and her daughter Shirln Garcia, pictured sitting immediately to her mother's right, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2007, in the Oval Office. Mrs. Labrada is the wife of Cuban political prisoner Dr. Jose Luis Garcia Paneque. White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush meets with Yamile Llanes Labrada and her daughter Shirln Garcia, pictured sitting immediately to her mother's right, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2007, in the Oval Office. Mrs. Labrada is the wife of Cuban political prisoner Dr. Jose Luis Garcia Paneque. White House photo by Eric Draper

Washington D.C. October 10, 2007. Yamilé Llanes Labrada, wife of political prisoner, José Luis García Paneque, who is serving a 24-year prison sentence in Cuba, was received by President Bush today. She will testify about the case of her husband and other political prisoners before the Interamerican Commission for Human Rights of the Organization of American States.

 

"President Bush is a simple and devout man. I explained the terrible situation of my husband and hundreds of other political prisoners unjustly detained in Cuba, and have come out very hopeful after this meeting," stated Llanes Labrada to the Cuban Democratic Directorate.

 

During the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration this afternoon in the White House Rose Garden, President Bush made reference to his meeting with Llanes Labrada and her daughter, stating, "One of the messages I have for the Cuban leader is: Free this man and free other political prisoners. He is not a threat to you. Let him be reunited with a woman who loves him dearly, and his four children."

 

During her visit to Washington D.C., the lady in White will give her testimony along with her ten year-old daughter, Shirlen García, before the Interamerican Commission for Human Rights of the OAS as part of a special hearing related to the 75 independent journalists and activists imprisoned in March 2003.

 

This case was approved in October 2006, and this event was the first approved hearing dedicated to this specific case. Llanes Labrada will also meet with congressmen and political activists at the Capital.

 

The Cuban Democratic Directorate, as one of the organizations that petitions this case, takes this opportunity to denounce the precarious state of health that most of the political prisoners are facing, and asks the Interamerican Commission for Human Rights to maintain their concern for this case.

 

Below the link to President Bush’s speech:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/20071010-2.wm.v.html

 

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