Brussels, September 2, 1997

Dear colleague,

in a few days the deadline for the nomination for the Sakharov Prize will expire.

As you may remember, last year many colleagues supported the nomination of a Cuban dissident. We believe that the reasons that led them remain unchanged. The Council and Commission's ban on assistance to Cuba (except for humanitarian reasons) also demonstrates how slow the path of reforms, as well as the respect for human rights is in Cuba.

For these reasons, we ask you to endorse the nomination of Elizardo Sanchez, a prominent member of the internal dissidence involved for many years in the protection of human rights in general and for those of political prisoners in particular. For his commitments Elizardo Sanchez - as you can see from the brief biography enclosed - has spent more than eight years in Cuban prisons.

We hope to enlist you among the supporters of this nomination, in the meantime please accept our best regards.

Cordially,

Jan Willem BERTENS Leonie Van BLADEL

(ELDR) (UPE)

Jörn Johan DONNER Laura DE ESTEBAN Olivier DUPUIS

(PSE) (PPE) (ARE)

If you agree with this candidat, please return the form to the following fax numbers: 284.91.98 - 284.91.97 - 230.36.70 or give it directly to one of us.