HAVANA -- The independent Cuban Human Rights and National Reconciliation Commission published the first pamphlet of its 20-year history Friday.

The five-page mimeographed bulletin, El Observador, said it hopes to ``contribute in a modest way to the multiple national and international efforts to promote and increase understanding of political and civil rights in Cuba.''

The group's director, Elizardo Sanchez, said the bulletin is directed at ``nongovernmental Cuban human rights observers, various institutions throughout the island, and international entities and organizations.''

El Observador reported that the number of political prisoners released between February and June ``is the largest number of prisoners released in the last decade.''

However, the bulletin indicated, ``We consider the number of people in prison for crimes against the state to be high, and we hope that the Cuban government will continue releasing those prisoners in a decisive and continuous manner.''

In Washington, the U.S. State Department appealed Friday for the release of four Cubans arrested a year ago, calling them brave fighters for dignity and democracy.

The four are Martha Beatriz Roque, Vladimiro Roca, Felix Bonne and Rene Gomez Manzano, leaders of Cuba's Dissident Working Group.

About 50 relatives of political prisoners on Friday visited the shrine of the Virgin of Charity near Santiago de Cuba, according to Cuban Democratic Revolutionary Directorate in Miami. It said they urged the government to free their relatives in a general amnesty.