Written question asked by Lord Patten (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Malloch-Brown (Labour) on Monday, 2 June 2008.

Cuba: Prisoners

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have made representations to the Government of Cuba about the welfare in prison of the president of the Lawton Human Rights Foundation, Oscar Elias Gonzalez, presently serving a 25 year sentence.

Answer: We remain extremely concerned about the plight of all political prisoners in Cuba, including Oscar Elias Biscet, president of the Lawton Human Rights Foundation, and Victor Rolando Arroyo Carmona. We are particularly concerned about those political prisoners who are reported to be suffering from poor health, yet are not apparently provided with adequate medical treatment. We regularly raise the issue of all political prisoners in Cuba with Cuban authorities, both in London and Havana, and call for their immediate release. During its most recent review of the EU's common position on Cuba in June 2007, the European Council stated ““the EU once again urges the Cuban Government, also in Cuba's capacity as a member of the Human Rights Council, to release unconditionally all political prisoners””. In November 2007, my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Meg Munn, raised the subject of political prisoners with Jaime Crombert Hernandez-Baquero, leader of the Cuban National Assembly.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 3687; 702 c8WA
Session: 2007-08
Related items: Cuba: Prisoners
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Political prisoners Cuba
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk