PINAR DEL RIO, March 14, 1997.- The hearing for Cause #1 of 1997 was held on March 13, at the Provincial Tribunal in Pinar del Rio, which is being held against opposition members Carlos Vicente Lores Martinez, an engineer, and Doctor Jose Vitorero Escalona and Nelson Ramirez Arocha, all accused since May of last year of enemy propaganda and alleged sabotage.
It was proven at the trial, in spite of the effort of the prosecutor, that at no time the accused were involved in acts of sabotage, and there were statements to this effect by the Interior Minister representative and defense attorneys.
(Nevertheless) They were sanctioned to four, three and seven years loss of freedom, respectively. The hearing was held amidst a large operative conducted by State Security, and they were called mercenaries in the prosecution's closing statement by attorney Berto Mirabal.
Reported by Blanca Nieves Cruz Rivera, president of the National Civic Movement Maximo Gomez Baez.