Penultimos Dias is reporting that Arnaldo Ramos Lauzurique has been released from prison and is at his home in Cuba. He constitutes the first of the "group of 75" to be released even though he has refused to go into exile. He says he will resume his opposition activities in Cuba.
The Cuban Catholic Church has also announced that the release of all other originally named dissidents will soon follow.
Mauricio Vicent, of El Pais, quotes Ramos as saying, "They told me that my freedom was unconditional... I do not want to leave my country. I will remain and I will continue with the same oppositional activities that I was doing before going to prison."
Vicent also notes, however, that Ramos has been freed under a "special humanitarian license," which is not equivalent to a pardon.
Havana's Archbishop also announced that Luís Enrique Ferrer is also being released today (but will go to exile in Spain along with his family) leaving 11 of the 75 still in prison.
Of the remaining 11, the majority have expressed a desire to stay in Cuba, including Héctor Maseda, condemned to 20 years, and the doctor Oscar Elías Biscet, serving a 25 years sentence. It seems that two of the remaining 11 are disposed to emigrate but directly to the United States.
More info at EFE.
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