Cuban families intercepted by US Coast Guard offered asylum in the Czech Republic

The Associated Press
Thursday, March 22, 2007
PRAGUE, Czech Republic: The Czech government offered asylum to three families on the run from Cuba that were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard before they could step on American soil, an official said Thursday.

Czech Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zuzana Opletalova said the 10-member group arrived in Prague Tuesday from the U.S. military base in Guantanamo.

The refugees were detained by the Coast Guard, but were not handed over to the Cuban government because of claims that political persecution drove them from their homes. The Czech government, which is known for its support of Cuba's opposition movement, agreed to grant asylum to the families at the request of the United States. Identities of the refugees were not revealed to prevent persecution of their relatives in Cuba.


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http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/ ... h-Cuba.php
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