Statement by the Prime Minister


March 15, 1999
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Chrétien expressed his disappointment today at the announcement from Cuba that four dissidents tried on March 1 had been found guilty and received sentences ranging from three and a half to five years.

"I discussed these cases with President Castro when I visited Havana last April. Cuba sends an unfortunate signal to her friends in the international community when people are jailed for peaceful protest.

In light of the convictions and other related events we have informed the Cuban government that we would be reviewing the range of our bilateral activities."

The four leaders of the Internal Dissidence Working Group - Marta Beatriz Roque Cabello, Vladimiro Roca Antunes, Felix Bonne Carcases and Rene Gomez Manzano - had been detained since their arrest in July, 1997, for publicly criticising the Communist Party.

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