July 10, 2007
FigyelõNet online, Hungary, June 27, 2007.
The New Generation, the youth organization of the Hungarian Liberal Party (Alliance of Free Democrats – SZDSZ), is keeping track on their website of the fate of an independent Cuban journalist imprisoned for political reasons within the framework of the Cuban opposition campaign "Adopt a political prisoner".
The youth chapter of the Hungarian Liberal Party is paying special attention to the fate of Luis Henrique Garcia Ferrer, Vice President of New Generation Flóra Takács announced on Wednesday at a peaceful demonstration held near the building of the Cuban Embassy in Budapest. Three members of the Cuban democratic opposition participated in the demonstration.
Several international human rights organizations are regularly monitoring the state of political prisoners; the prison conditions of those receiving international attention may be improved, said Dániel Kaderják, leader of New Generation's foreign affairs task force. They hope to be able to achieve something similar, he added.
The journalist "adopted" by the liberal youth is currently the youngest political prisoner in Cuba. Garcia Ferrer was arrested in March 2003 and was sentenced to 28 years in prison for having participated in the realization of the Varela Plan. Under the plan, more than 11 thousand signatures were collected so that a referendum would be held to ensure the right to freedom of speech, establishing a multi-party system, and the right to launch private enterprises, as put forth in the Cuban constitution. Approximately 300 Cuban political prisoners are registered at the moment.
"We, liberal youth, want a free and democratic Cuba in which human rights and freedom of press are respected, and nobody that preaches freedom has to live in fear", reads the flyer calling for the promotion of free Cuba distributed at the demonstration.
Dániel Kaderják said that the UN Human Rights Council's decision on Monday to remove Cuba and Belorus from the list of countries in which the situation of human rights needs special scrutiny is unacceptable. Human rights are still being violated in these countries, he added.
During their 3-day visit to Budapest, members of the Cuban democratic opposition met with President of the Alliance of Young Democrats (FIDESZ) Viktor Orbán, President of SZDSZ János Kóka, and Mayor of Budapest Gábor Demszky, and are meeting with President of the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) Ibolya Dávid on Thursday. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Cabinet of FIDESZ Zsolt Németh announced at a press conference on Tuesday that FIDESZ politicians and MPs are taking up personal guardianship of Cuban political prisoners; it was Viktor Orbán who first announced his intention to do so.
The International Centre for Democratic Transition informed the Hungarian News Agency (MTI) on Wednesday that it is hosting a delegation of members of the Cuban opposition in Budapest with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The 11 members of the delegation are Cubans living abroad who actively take part in promoting a peaceful and democratic transition in Cuba. The aim of their meetings in Hungary is to collect information on the process of the negotiation-based Hungarian transition, and the possibilities for its application in Cuba.
Taken from the Embassy of Hungary site.
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Hungary Has a Moral Obligation to Share Experiences
János Kóka Met with Cuban Opposition Leaders
