Cuba pardons more than 3 500 prisoners ahead of pope`s visit

  12 September 2015    Read: 790
Cuba pardons more than 3 500 prisoners ahead of pope`s visit
Cuba has pardoned 3 522 prisoners, the communist party newspaper Granma reported on Friday, one week ahead of a historic visit to the island by Pope Francis.
Those being released include the chronically ill, those older than 69, those younger than 20 with no criminal record and women, the newspaper said, adding that the gesture was occasioned by the papal visit.

The prisoners are to be released within 72 hours.

Prisoners serving time for murder, rape or other serious crimes, as well as those jailed for crimes against state security, will not be released.

On September 19, Pope Francis will become the third pope to travel to Cuba. He will then travel to the United States.

The pope acted as an intermediary in talks between the two neighbouring states that lead to the re-establishment of diplomatic relations.

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