Human rights activist is honored by France

Published Wednesday, December 11, 1996, in the Miami Herald

IN THE AMERICAS

From Herald Wire Services

CUBA

Elizardo Sanchez,President Jacques

Chirac

Human rights activist is honored by France

France honored a leading Cuban human rights activist Tuesday for his efforts to improve the lives of conscientious objectors and political prisoners in Cuban jails.

Elizardo Sanchez Santa Cruz, 52, president of Cuba's Human Rights Committee, was a philosophy professor at the University of Havana when he was expelled from the post in 1968 for opposing the government.

Sanchez, who still lives in Cuba, has been arrested 10 times.

He was one of seven people honored by France's Human Rights Commission with a check for $20,000, presented by President Jacques Chirac in Paris. Sanchez plans to use the money to provide free legal aid to conscientious objectors and political prisoner s in Cuba.

THE GOVERNMENT of Spain will send powdered milk worth nearly $2.8 million to Cuba, to be distributed through the Roman Catholic organization Caritas Cuba. Officials said the aid is part of a package of humanitarian assistance granted last year.