Fanger frigitt etter pavebesøk

VATICAN CITY, FEB 12, 1998 (VIS) - The following communique was made public this morning:

"The Secretariat of State has been informed that the government of Cuba has freed a certain number of prisoners as a gesture of clemency and good will in remembrance of Pope John Paul II's visit to Cuba. Their names had been indicated by relatives and international human rights organizations in the months prior to the apostolic trip.

"The pardon granted concerns several dozen persons who appeared in the list given to Cuban authorities last January 22, in the name of the Holy Father, by Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano. Other petitions for clemency are currently being examined by the authorities.

"The Cuban government has also communicated that, for the humanitarian reasons invoked, it has pardoned a significant number of prisoners for diverse reasons.

"The Secretariat of State is pleased about the relevant provision, which represents a concrete prospective of hope for the future of that noble nation."

OP/FREEDOM PRISONERS CUBA/SODANO                          VIS 980212 (180)