Pastoral Work in Jails is Started in Güines

Havana, February 3, 2004 - (www.cubanet.org) - The Church in the city of Güines started pastoral work in jails in favor of political prisoners of the area, Martha Ida Orta Paso, General Secretary of the independent Public Administration Union and a church member, informed.

Parish Priest Silvano Pedroso directs the religious activity, carried out once a month, with the help of José Luis Rodríguez, Oneida Núñez as Secretary and Enio Hernández in charge of spiritual matters.

Encarnación Echenique works in administration and they also get voluntary help from Guillermo Gil, Ulises Hernández, Mirta Núñez and Mercedes Sosa.

Relatives of prisoners Miguel Galván Gutiérrez and José Patricio de Armas were guests of honor.

The religious people prayed for the immediate freedom of political prisoners and distributed book lists and pamphlets, among them "The Most Important Story of my Life", "Our Editorial", "The Book of Life" and the Bible.

Güines' Catholic Church, with its Parish Priest in front, visit prisoners' relatives and deliver clothes, donations, medicines and first aid products.

Unionist Miguel Galván Gutiérrez was sentenced to 26 years in jail and the independent journalist José Ubaldo Izquierdo, also from Güines, to 15. José Patricio de Armas, President of the Human Rights Movement 10th of December, was sentenced to 10 months of incarceration accused of painting antigovernment signs in his residence's front.