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Political prisoner in punishment cell By Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller - October 7, 2002 (Guantánamo, Cuba) - Political prisoner Andry Frómeta Cuenca, 26 years old, has been held in a punishment cell since August 1st, in the Provincial Prison of Pinar del Río, located on Luis Lazo Highway, KM 5 ½. Frómeta who had been serving time in Section 4, Cell 31, was taken by penitentiary authorities to a cell which is completely covered for an indefinite amount of time because of his refusal to wear a prison uniform, refusal to participate in political activities which are held in those dungeons in support of the return of the 5 spies. He also protests because of the lack of religious assistance. According to Ms. Aleyda, mother of the prisoner, these prison authorities would not allow her to visit him this month on her monthly visit, after having agonizingly traveled 910 Km., the distance from Guantánamo to Pinar del Río, stating that the visit for Frómeta Cuenca was suspended because he has not adapted to the penal re-education system. Finally, after the reclamation made by his mother and her firm position of not leaving until she saw her son, the allowed her a visit. Ms. Aleyda stated that it is inhumane to have travel from one extreme of the island to the other to visit her son and that this distance and the difficult transportation situation result in not being able to go to some of the visits. This means that some family members go for more than one year without visiting the prisoner because of the cost of such a trip during a time in which Cuban families are poor. She concluded that she was exhausted and tired of asking the prison authorities to transfer her son closer to Guantánamo, a request for which has not had any response. Ferdinando Castro De Lardiller
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