Rome, Italy, Mar 2, 2006 / 22:00 pm
Cardinal Renato Martino, president of Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, criticized the way the United States is treating some 500 inmates at its Guantanamo Bay naval base prison. Cardinal Martino visited the Caribbean island to attend celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the first bishops conference allowed following the Cuban revolution. He also held talks with Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
"It seems clear that human dignity is not being fully respected in that prison," Cardinal Renato Martino told ANSA on his return from a visit to Cuba .
"Is not the trampling of man's dignity a violation of human rights? Everyone has a right to a fair trial. Wherever in the world inmates are being held in such conditions, without even knowing the charges they face, we will not fail to defend them," said the cardinal, who heads the Vatican's Justice and Peace department .
"I would like to stress that even those who have committed crimes are still human beings and as such their dignity must be respected," said the cardinal .