Brazilian chancellery will intervene on behalf of Cuban physicist

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Brazilian chancellery will intervene on behalf of Cuban physicist
Meanwhile, in Washington, Cuban jurist Claudio Benedí presented the human drama of the family of Dr. López Linares before the Interamerican Human Rights Commission

BRAZIL / WASHINGTON (Jun. 29, 2002, DSF/DI) - Foreign Relations Minister of Brazil, Dr. Celso Lafer, will be taking the necessary steps with Havana to make the visit possible for the young Cuban physicist, Dr. Juan López Linares, who does not yet know his 3 1/2 year old son Juan Paolo. This was the announcement in today's political column Claudio Humberto, which is published simultaneously in the Jornal de Brasilia, of this capital, and in 35 other daily papers in the country. Post-doctorate in the Physics Institute of the Campinas University (Unicamp), 100 km. from São Paulo, Dr. Linares is considered a "traitor" by the Cuban government because he decided to continue his studies in Brazil.

The column Claudio Humberto also reported that the Cuban jurist Dr. Claudio Benedí Beruff, one of the founders of the Interamerican Human Rights Commission, yesterday presented before said entity in Washington, a denouncement about the human drama of the family of the young Cuban physicist.

Due to it being the weekend, it was not possible to obtain more details from the Brazilian chancellery, Itamaraty. Meanwhile, in Washington, Dr. Benedí confirmed the information published today by the Jornal de Brasilia:

"In fact, yesterday I gave Dr. Juan Méndez, President of the Interamerican Human Rights Commission, the denouncement of the grave human rights violation of Dr. Juan López Linares, 31 years old, who has a post-doctorate in the University of Campinas, in Brazil. The present totalitarian communist regime of Cuba has deprived him of the right which all fathers have of seeing their child. That prohibition is the most severe punishment that could be placed upon a father. Depriving Dr. López Linares from knowing his boy, Juan Paolo, 3 years of age, is outrageously cruel, it is incredible that this would be taking place presently in America", Dr. Benedí said.

The Cuban jurist added that in this case there was another flagrant violation of human rights cited in Article 13 (2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and of the Interamerican Declaration of Human Rights and Responsibilities, which states that every person has the right to freely enter or exit his country of origin. He concluded: "This violation does not only affect Dr. López Linares but also affects and violates the human rights of almost 2 million Cubans in exile who are not permitted to visit their homeland, not even in a situation were immediate relatives, such as a mother or father, are close to death".

The human drama of the family of Dr. Linares has gained enormous solidarity among universities, politicians, human rights activists and Brazilian media.

Derechos Sin Fronteras (DSF), in Brazil / Destaque Internacional (DI), in Washington

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

For more information on the case of Dr. López Linares click

mailto:ambitointernacional@hotmail.com?Subject=MoreInfo

TELEPHONE NUMBERS:

* Dr. Claudio Benedí Beruff, Washington (DC):

Tel.: 1-703- 578 0160

Fax: 1-703- 578 1587

* Dr. Juan López Linares

E-mail: jlopezlinares@hotmail.com

Tel.: 55-19- 3788 5504 from 2a. a 6a., de 8 a 18 hs.

Tel.: 55-19- 3289 0618 from 2a. a 6a., após 19 hs., e fim de semana.