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Press Release :
Strasburg, 18 January 2001
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Nicole Fontaine demands the immediate release of the czech nationals detained in Cuba
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The President of the European Parliament has sent a telegramme to the Cuban President, Fidel CASTRO, demanding the 'immediate release' of the former Finance Minister of the Czech Republic, Mr Ivan PILIP, and his compatriot, Mr Jan BUDENIK.
Mrs FONTAINE said that the charges brought against the two Czech politicians showed that the Cuban regime did not respect the fundamental rights laid down in the various international conventions, chief among which were freedom of expression and the right of association. It was intolerable that foreign visitors should be told whom they might and whom they might not meet in their contacts with the local populace.
What is more, the fact that the two detainees were held in isolation and prevented from contacting their embassy constituted a further human rights violation.
For more information, please contact Etienne Bassot on + 32 475 35 19 43 or Jacques NANCY on + 32 476 96 96 72 85.
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Press enquiries: Jacques NANCY, President's Spokesman
TEL : +32-2.284.24.85 - GSM : +32-476.969.672 - FAX : +32-2.284.49.73 - E-MAIL : jnancy@europarl.europa.eu
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