Temporary Suspension Of Executions In Cuba

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28794, 15 January 1959, Page 9

Temporary Suspension Of Executions In Cuba

(A .Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 9.30 p.m.) HAVANA, January 14. Cuba’s revolutionary regime last night ordered the temporary suspension of all “war crimes” trials and executions. Nearly 200 agents and officials of Fulgencio Batista’s Government have been shot since the dictator fled from Cuba on January 1. Suspension of aU executions was announced after a conference between the rebels’ fighting leader, Fidel Castro, and the man he installed as provisional president, Dr. Manuel Urrutia. Those executed in the last fortnight were shot after hurried military trials, many of them held secretly.

The result was a mounting storm of criticism abroad. Last night’s announcement did not set a date for resumption of the trials, but it was indicated that officials would wait until new judicial regulations can be distributed throughout the island republic. Castro said strict justice would be meted out to war criminals “without rancour or hate, and with correct application of the law to each case.”

A spokesman at the Presidential Palace said that when any more war criminals are shot, the press, radio, television and movie reporters, as well as the general public would have an opportunity to watch the complete process—from military trial to execution. He added that lists of all the accused would be provided, along with specific charges against them and the names of their alleged victims.

He also promised that families of those he called “revolutionary martyrs’ ’ —persons tortured to death by Batista’s police and army —would be available for interviews.

Earlier yesterday, Castro defended the mass executions held since he unseated Batista. Ke said they were necessary “to purify the nation.”

An estimated 3000 persons are awaiting trial for what the new regime calls war crimes. Roberto Agramonte, Cuba’s new Foreign Minister, asserted that the death sentences were required to prevent vengeful Cubans from taking the law into their own hands.

Rebel authorities in Santiago, in eastern Cuba, suspended trials before last night’s announcement.

But 71 Batista soldiers, police and civilian followers were executed there on Monday in two batches.

The Cuban newspaper “Oriente” said today it had learned that the rest of the prisoners held in Santiago would be turned over to civil authorities for trial. Leaders of the new regime had been stung by criticism in United States newspapers of the mass executions, the paper said. The military commander of the Province of Havana was quoted yesterday as saying that every member of the forces of Batista who murdered political prisoners would be executed after trial by court martial.

The military commander (Major Camilo Cienfuegos), was reported to have said in an interview with a ‘‘Chicago Tribune” correspondent: “I can’t understand the bleeding hearts of American editors and Senators. The United States has the electric chair and the gas chamber for murder. This is a revolution and we have the firing squad.” The Reuters news agency correspondent in Havana later quoted ‘‘Palace sources” as saying that an order to suspend executions had not been issued.

Both American Associated Press and United Press International, however, quoting ‘‘a Palace spokesman” reported that all executions had been suspended.