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Wife of Cuban Political Prisoner Issues Call for Help in Havana
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

Prisoner of Conscience Librado Linares Suffering From Chronic Illnesses

Magaly Broche de la Cruz, wife of political prisoner Librado Linares, with their son (Photo: PIN).

Magaly Broche de la Cruz, wife of political prisoner Librado Linares, with their son (Photo: PIN).

HAVANA, January 19, 2005 – Last night, Magaly Broche de la Cruz -- the wife of imprisoned Cuban democracy activist Librado Linares, who has been recognized by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience – issued a call for help to free her husband, who has been unjustly imprisoned since the Cuban government’s crackdown on the democracy movement in March 2003.  He suffers from various chronic illnesses, and Magaly is requesting a special license for his immediate release.

 

“We, as a family, have been very worried for Librado after we received the results of some medical tests he was given in December,” said Magaly.  “It showed that he has developed some serious digestive problems because of the many arbitrary violations committed against him in prison.”

 

“He has a very bothersome ulcer close to where he originally had an operation before he was imprisoned, during which he had to have a third of his stomach removed.  They also found that he has dysplasic cells and glandular deformations in that area.  He is suffering from chronic gastritis, much pain and heartburn at night, and gastric reflux.  He has had to limit himself to eating certain foods,” said Magaly from Havana.

 

In addition to Librado’s digestive problems, Magaly explained that Librado Linares has been having problems with his eyesight, and medical tests indicated that an epithelial membrane has formed in his eye.

 

“We had some new glasses made for him but when he tried them on, he still could not see.  Those tests were not professionally done and they do not match the vision problems he is having,” she said.

 

Magaly informed the Cuban Democratic Directorate (“Directorio”) that she submitted a letter yesterday to the authorities of the Jails and Prisons Directorate and the Ministry of the Interior requesting consideration once again for an “extrapenal license,” which she originally solicited in November 2004.

 

“Librado is being kept in a cell of maximum security.  All he can do is read, and given his condition, he cannot even do that.  What will become of a man sentenced to 20 years in prison?”

 

Librado Linares Garcia is General Secretary of the Cuban Reflection Movement and was imprisoned during the March 2003 crackdown that sent 75 democracy activists and independent journalists to prison.

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