 |
|
Lawyers Committee Condemns Arrests and Detention
of Dissidents in Cuba
The Lawyers Committee for Human Rights condemns the recent arrests
and detention of more than 80 political dissidents in Cuba, including
human rights and democracy activists, journalists and directors of
independent libraries. Having been tried on charges such as treason
and subversion, many of those detained were sentenced on Monday to
terms of imprisonment of up to 27 years.
Among those convicted by the Cuban courts are renowned democracy activist
Héctor Palacios Ruiz and independent economist Marta Beatriz
Roque on charges of “subversion and collaborating with American
diplomats.” Mr. Palacios is a key organizer of the Varela Project,
a broad - based initiative in Cuba designed to promote democratic
reforms. Mr. Palacios and Ms. Roque were sentenced to 25 and 20 years
imprisonment, respectively. Others, such as journalist and poet Raúl
Rivero and human rights activists Marcelo López Bañobre
and Marcelo Cano Rodríquez, also received prison sentences
of 15 and 18 years respectively.
Many of those detained and sentenced are Cuban human rights defenders,
falling within the ambit of the UN Declaration on Human Rights
Defenders, which Cuba actively participated in drafting and passing
in 1998. According to the terms of the Declaration, all persons have
the right to effective access to participation in the government of
their country and in the conduct of public affairs. The Declaration
also provides that everyone has the right to the lawful exercise of
their profession and to participate in peaceful activities against
violations of human rights.
“These dissidents are being arrested and prosecuted solely for
their peaceful criticism of the Cuban government and their promotion
of basic rights,” said Michael Posner, the Lawyers Committee’s
Executive Director. “The government must bring an end to this
exploitation of the criminal justice system to persecute those who
speak out against it.” Posner added that Cuba should recognise
the crucial work performed by human rights defenders in the country
and should ensure their protection, rather than arrest and harass
them.
The Lawyers Committee calls on the United Nations Commission on Human
Rights to condemn these arrests and harsh jail sentences at its current
session in Geneva. It is particularly important at this time when
much global attention is focused on events in Iraq, that governments
which maintain relations with Cuba and which are engaged in dialogue
on human rights issues, such as those in Canada, Europe and parts
of Latin America should make their objections to these arrests known
to the Cuban government in direct terms. Cuba should stop this escalation
of its violations of the basic rights of its citizens.
|
|
|
