(CNN) -- Cuba will pardon more than 2,900 prisoners, the government said Friday, though U.S. subcontractor Alan Gross is not among those who will be freed. The decision to release the prisoners follows "numerous requests" from their family members and religious institutions, and is a humanitarian gesture, said Cuban President Raul Castro. Among those who might be freed are prisoners over the age of 60, along with those who are sick, female or young with no previous criminal record. With some exceptions, prisoners convicted of spying, terrorism, murder and drug trafficking will not be released. Those who will be freed have already served a "important" part of their sentences and exhibited good behavior, according to an official statement published on the state-run website Cubadebate. The jailed American, Gross, will not be among those pardoned, the Cuban Interests Section in Washington said. Gross was jailed in December 2009, when he was working as a subcontractor on a U.S. Agency for International Development project aimed at spreading democracy. Castro has accused him of importing satellite equipment to connect dissidents to the Internet, and this year Cuba's highest court upheld the 15-year sentence imposed on Gross for committing crimes against the security of the state. He has maintained his innocence and said he was trying to help connect the Jewish community to the Internet. Castro, speaking to the National Assembly, said that 86 prisoners from 25 countries would be among those released in coming days. He cited the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI as one of the motivations behind the move, which he said showed the "generosity and strength of the revolution." The pope has said he plans to visit Mexico and Cuba before Easter. 
Do you have any questions?
Which historical event was compared to releasing prisoners from Cuba?
(CNN) -- Kuba kommer att benåda mer än 2 900 fångar, sade regeringen fredag, även om USA:s underleverantör Alan Gross inte är bland dem som kommer att befrias. Beslutet att frige fångarna följer "många önskemål" från sina familjemedlemmar och religiösa institutioner, och är en humanitär gest, sade Kubas president Raul Castro. Bland dem som kan komma att befrias finns fångar över 60 år, tillsammans med de som är sjuka, kvinnliga eller unga utan tidigare brottsregister. Med vissa undantag kommer fångar som dömts för spioneri, terrorism, mord och narkotikahandel inte att släppas fria. De som kommer att bli frigivna har redan avtjänat en "viktig" del av sina straff och uppvisat gott uppförande, enligt ett officiellt uttalande som publicerats på den statliga webbplatsen Kubadebatt. Den fängslade amerikanen, Gross, kommer inte att vara bland dem som benådas, sade Kubas intressesektion i Washington. Gross fängslades i december 2009, då han arbetade som underleverantör på ett amerikanskt Agency for International Development-projekt som syftade till att sprida demokrati. Castro har anklagat honom för att ha importerat satellitutrustning för att koppla oliktänkande till Internet, och i år fastställde Kubas högsta domstol det 15-åriga straff som utdömts Gross för att ha begått brott mot statens säkerhet. Han har vidhållit sin oskuld och sagt att han försökte hjälpa till att koppla samman det judiska samfundet med Internet. Castro, som talade till nationalförsamlingen, sade att 86 fångar från 25 länder skulle vara bland dem som frigavs under de kommande dagarna. Han anförde påven Benedictus XVI:s kommande besök som en av motiven bakom flytten, som han sade visade revolutionens "generositet och styrka". Påven har sagt att han planerar att besöka Mexiko och Kuba före påsken. Har du några frågor?
(CNN) -- Cuba will pardon more than 2,900 prisoners, the government said Friday, although US subcontractor Alan Gross is not among those who will be freed. The decision to release the prisoners follows "many wishes" from their family members and religious institutions, and is a humanitarian gesture, Cuba's President Raul Castro said. Among those who may be freed are prisoners over 60 years of age, along with those who are sick, female or young without prior criminal records. With some exceptions, prisoners convicted of espionage, terrorism, murder and drug trafficking will not be released. Those who will be released have already served a "important" portion of their sentences and displayed good conduct, according to an official statement published on the state website of Cuba debate. The imprisoned American, Gross, will not be among those pardoned, said Cuba's interest section in Washington. Gross was imprisoned in December 2009, when he worked as a subcontractor on an American Agency for International Development project aimed at spreading democracy. Castro has accused him of importing satellite equipment to link dissidents to the Internet, and this year the Cuban Supreme Court upheld the 15-year sentence imposed on Gross for committing crimes against state security. He has maintained his innocence, saying that he was trying to help connect the Jewish community to the Internet. Castro, speaking to the National Assembly, said 86 prisoners from 25 countries would be among those released in the coming days. He cited the coming visit of Pope Benedict XVI as one of the motives behind the move, which he said showed the "generosity and strength" of the revolution. The Pope has said that he plans to visit Mexico and Cuba before Easter. Do you have any questions?
Vilken historisk händelse jämfördes med att frige fångar från Kuba?
What historical event was compared to releasing prisoners from Cuba?