As papal visit nears, Cuba will free 3,522 prison inmates

Announcement in the official daily Granma for Sept. 10, as translated by Progreso Weekly.

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The Council of State of the Republic of Cuba, on the occasion of the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis and as was done when we were visited by Supreme Pontiffs John Paul II and Benedict XVI, agreed to pardon 3,522 convicts, taking into account the nature of the deeds for which they were sentenced, their behavior in prison, their time served, and reasons of health.

Among those pardoned are persons over the age of 60, under the age of 20 without prior convictions, chronically ill persons, women, several who reached the time established for release on parole in 2016, and some of those who are serving their terms while working in open conditions, as well as foreigners, so long as their countries of origin guarantee their repatriation.

But for a few exceptions for humanitarian reasons, no one was pardoned who was guilty of murder, homicide, rape, aggravated abuse of children, corruption of minors, theft and illegal slaughter of cattle, drug trafficking, aggravated robbery, the aggravated intimidation of persons, and crimes against the State.

This decision will become effective 72 hours from now. In the case of foreigners, the Ministry of Foreign Relations will coordinate with the diplomatic representations accredited in Cuba of those countries whose citizens benefited from the pardon on the measures that will have to be adopted to ensure their definitive departure.

The Ministry of the Interior will coordinate with the ministries of Labor and Social Security and Public Health and with the respective councils of the provincial administration of the People’s Power and the Isle of Youth Special Municipality the actions needed for the social reinsertion and medical attention of the parolees who may require it.

[Taken from Granma.]