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From: C-afp@clari.net (AFP)
Newsgroups: clari.world.americas.caribbean,clari.news.issues.human_rights,clari.world.americas,clari.world.americas.meso,clari.news.issues,clari.news.issues.misc
Subject: Cuba passes tough new legislation against dissidents
Organization: Copyright 1999 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet)
Message-ID: <Qus-dissidents-passedURO8A_9FH@clari.net>
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Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 21:14:18 PST
ACategory: international
Slugword: US-dissidents-passed
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   HAVANA, Feb 16 (AFP) - Cuba's national assembly Tuesday passed  
tough new legislation against dissidents, threatening to undo the 
diplomatic progress made since Pope John Paul II's visit to the 
communist nation. 
   Under the new law, dissidents and journalists found to be  
working against the Cuban state could face up to 30 years in jail 
and huge fines. 
   The new law was seen in part as a response to a series of US  
initiatives that include easing restrictions on sending money to 
Cuban individuals or organisations. 
   That includes groups seeking to change the communist system.  
   Cuban leader Fidel Castro described the legislation as a  
"challenge to imperialism, to the enemy which has not tired of 
attacking our country," the national news agency said. 
   Political dissidents decried the new law.  
   "It's as if the circle were closing in, as if we were being  
closed into the circle," said Magaly de Armas, wife of opposition 
leader Vladimir Roca who has been in jail for 19 months without 
trial. 
   "It's disturbing in light of the Pope's visit," agreed Havana's  
Roman Catholic archbishop, Cardinal Jaime Ortega. 
   Ortega warned that the proposed bill would damage the "spirit of  
confidence" created by the papal visit in January 1998. 
   The Cuban regime freed some 188 political prisoners in the 12  
months following the pope's visit, including 100 whose release John 
Paul had personally requested. 
   "This takes away the margin of maneuver to those who proposed to  
help toward a favorable evolution of the regime," one European 
diplomat said. "Positions are hardening again." 
   Castro said the law showed his government had taken on "a great  
challenge which some, including friends, are not going to agree 
with." 
   The legislature also passed a bill imposing the death penalty on  
those who deal large quantities of illegal drugs or sell narcotics 
to children. 
  	   	

