Cuba rights abuses continue but fewer prisoners: group

HAVANA (Reuters) - The number of Cubans in prison for political reasons dropped in 2007 but Communist authorities continue to arrest people arbitrarily and deny basic civil rights, the country's main rights watchdog said on Wednesday.

There were 234 political prisoners in Cuba at the end of 2007, down from 283 a year earlier, the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation said.

However, it reported no improvement in Cuba's human rights record since ailing leader Fidel Castro handed over power to his brother Raul due to illness in July 2006.

"This sort of provisional government has done nothing to change the very bad situation of civil, political and economic rights that has exited in Cuba for more than four decades," the commission said, adding that authorities still deny freedom of expression, assembly and travel.

Headed by veteran rights activist Elizardo Sanchez, the group is illegal but is tolerated by the government. It is the only source of independent information available on arrests in Cuba.

The government denies there are any political prisoners and labels all dissidents as "counterrevolutionary mercenaries" on the payroll of its arch-enemy, the U.S. government. It does not allow the International Red Cross access to its jails.

Sanchez's group said there were at least 325 political arrests in Cuba last year and most of the detainees were released after a few hours or days without charges.

"Through its enormous repressive apparatus, the Cuban government continues to silence dissident voices and employs all forms of intimidation against militant opponents or ordinary citizen who speak out," the group said.

It welcomed Cuba's decision to sign the U.N. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and a similar pact on economic and social rights by March next year.

"Despite the delay and the lack of credibility of the Cuban government, this decision could be positive if Cuba is prepared to comply with the two pacts," it said.

Cuba had long refused to sign the pacts, which were adopted in 1976 at the height of the Cold War. The policy change means Cuba will open its doors to regular monitoring by the newly created U.N. Human Rights Council.

Cuba refused visits by a special rapporteur appointed by the previous body, the U.N. Human Rights Commission, which Havana said was manipulated by the United States.

(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Kieran Murray)