THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

March 15, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

     I am deeply disappointed that the Cuban government has sentenced four courageous human rights activists -- Vladimiro Roca, Felix Bonne, Rene Gomez Manzano, and Marta Beatriz Roque -- to prison terms.  They did nothing more than assert their right to speak freely about their country's future, call on their government to respect basic human rights, and seek a peaceful transition to democracy for the long-suffering Cuban people.  They were tried without a fair process, behind closed doors.  I call on the Cuban government to release them immediately.

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