Cuba grants amnesty to thousands of prisoners

Jailed American subcontractor Alan Gross will not be among those released by Raul Castro before visit by Pope

Cuba's supreme governing body has pardoned nearly 3,000 prisoners, including some convicted of political crimes, though no mention was made of jailed American government subcontractor Alan Gross, whose case has become a sticking point between Havana and Washington.

The Council of State agreed to release 2,900 prisoners, among them inmates who are over 60 years old or are ill, women and young people with minor criminal records. President Raul Castro cited an upcoming visit by the Pope among the reasons for the amnesty, saying the humanitarian act showed Cuba's strength.

Those convicted of serious crimes like murder, espionage or drug trafficking will not be part of the amnesty, though some people convicted of political crimes are on the release list.

"Some people condemned for crimes against state security will be freed," read an official government missive cited by news agency Prensa Latina. "All of them have completed an important portion of their sentence and shown good behaviour."

"Alan Gross is not on the list," Josefina Vidal said, dashing the hopes of Gross's supporters in the US, who have been pleading with Cuban authorities to release the 62-year-old Maryland native on humanitarian grounds.

Gross's family concedes he was on a democracy building program, but insist his goal was simply to help the island's tiny Jewish community gain better access to the internet. Cuba says the programs seek to overthrow the government.

Gross's supporters say the contractor has lost more than 100 pounds in jail and is now gaunt and increasingly depressed. Meanwhile, his daughter and elderly mother have both been diagnosed with cancer.

Cuba this year freed the last of some 75 political prisoners arrested in a notorious 2003 sweep. While others remain jailed for politically motivated crimes, most of those were involved in acts of violence such as hi! jacking.

Amnesty International no longer includes any Cuban prisoners on its list of "prisoners of conscience" around the world.

No details on when the releases will occur were given.


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