Dissident group claims nearly 350 prisoners of conscience

(30 Jun 2006)
1. Pull-out exterior of apartment of Cuban dissident Aida Valdes
2. Interior of apartment
3. Dissident showing list of prisoners
4. Close-up of list of prisoners
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): Aida Valdes Santana, National Coordinating Group of Prisoners and Ex-Political Prisoners:
"They are really preparing conditions for a repressive wave before the next summit to be held in Cuba."
6. Cutaway of news conference
7. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): Aida Valdes Santana, National Coordinating Group of Prisoners and Ex-Political Prisoners:
"It has increased dramatically; acts of repudiation, warnings, searches, and other acts that violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Sadly, these events have become our daily bread."
8. Various of news conference
STORYLINE
A dissident group monitoring human rights in Cuba said on Thursday there are at least 347 prisoners of conscience on the island, and warned that the jailing of opposition activists was rising.
Aida Valdes Santana of the National Coordinating Group of Prisoners and Ex-Political Prisoners told reporters that her group would begin offering periodic updates on the number of political prisoners.
"They are really preparing conditions for a repressive wave before the next summit to be held in Cuba", said Valdes, referring to the upcoming Summit of Non-Aligned Nations taking place in Havana in September.
The Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, headed by veteran activist Elizardo Sanchez, has for many years released a similar report every six months, tracking the number of political prisoners on the island.
The commission's latest report listed 333 political prisoners.
Cuba's communist government says there are no prisoners of conscience on the island, only criminals.

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