Human Rights Archive

Int’l Human Rights Day marches in Cuba, Miami, elsewhere

By
Castro Death Watch
 – December 10, 2007Posted in: Friends of Cuban Freedom, From Other Blogs, Human Rights, Media

Bloggers United for Cuban Liberty (BUCL) and Babalu Blog are reporting a number of protest marches today–which is International Human Rights Day–in support of freedom for Cuba.

Some of the marches will take place in Miami and Los Angeles. Some are scheduled to take place in Cuba. Naturally, the Castroite dictatorship is trying to prevent these marches in Cuba (and if they had their way, in Miami and LA, too). BUCL put out a press release (we’ve copied it below but if you follow the link above you can read it as well) on the issue. As I write the post, Google News showed only 10 hits for the release and the story. That’s unbelievably pathetic and just shows you where the MSM stands on Cuba.

Anyway, listed below is the the full release from BUCl and also a graphic of their “Cambio” (Change) poster, which you can buy at BUCL.org for just $15.


Cambio en Cuba (Change in Cuba)

For Immediate Release

BUCL.org Joins Dr. Darsi Ferrer to Protest Apartheid-Like Policies in Cuba

Protest marches are scheduled Monday December 10 in Havana and cities around the world

Miami, FL December 7, 2007 — Bloggers United for Cuban Liberty (BUCL) extends its support and solidarity to the Cuban Dissident Dr. Darsi Ferrer on International Human Rights Day Monday, December 10. To commemorate this day, protest marches are being held to denounce what protestors are calling the immoral and illegal segregationist policies imposed by the Cuban government.

“In Cuba, apartheid is not racial, but political,” says Henry Gómez of BUCL. “The political system keeps foreigners and Cubans separate. For instance, many public accommodations that are open to tourists and high-level Communist bureaucrats are off limits to everyday Cubans.”

Protest marches will be held in Havana at the park on Calzada between D and E (Vedado), in Miami at the Graham Center at Florida International University (FIU), and in Los Angeles at 202 West First Street. The marches will begin at 11:00 am EST (8:00 am PST).

Regarding Cuba’s current system, Dr. Ferrer states, “The current constitution supposedly recognizes the rights and freedoms of the Cuban people. The penal code characterizes apartheid as a felony. In practice, both are systematically violated by the established public policy.” Dr. Ferrer continued, “People around the world were horrified with the ghettos of South Africa. It is time to condemn the apartheid suffered by the Cuban people.”

“The vast majority of Cubans crave change,” says Dr. Ferrer. “We’ve endured more than four decades of stagnation while the tyranny has failed in the political, economic and social arenas. It is time to put an end to so much suffering. We advocate change in order to live in freedom and democracy.”

Dr. Darsi Ferrer is the Director of the Juan Bruno Zayas Center for Health and Human Rights in Havana, Cuba, whose mission is to ensure the policies of international agencies that guarantee health-related rights of all persons, are recognized and adhered to in Cuba.

Bloggers United for Cuban Liberty is a confederation of Blogs and websites that pool resources and ideas for use in campaigns to raise awareness of the Cuban reality.

Contact:
Henry Gómez
305-788-4766
hgomez@bucl.org

###

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Dogs live better than Cuban political prisoners

By
Castro Death Watch
 – November 20, 2007Posted in: Cuban Dissidents, Friends of Cuban Freedom, Human Rights

I’m sure even fleas live better than anyone imprisoned in Castro’s gulag, simply for what he believes in. Just ask Mr. Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta, prisoner in Castro’s Kilo 8 Prison in Camaguey, Cuba:

I’m letting it be known that my state of health is failing at an extremely dangerous pace. My physical well-being remains under the Sword of Damocles, and I could die. My days are slowly coming to an end because of the various dangerous illnesses from which I suffer: high blood pressure, a right bundle branch block in my heart, hypertensive retinopathy, a heart murmur, a pyloric-duodenal prolapse, chronic dermatitis, asthma, cervical arthritis, lumbo-sacral arthralgia, vitiligo, kidney and liver disorders, and an obvious immunological deficiency. I’m extremely underweight, which is quite worrisome.

Faced with this dangerous picture, prison authorities have demonstrated a policy of disinterest and indifference until last October 23rd when I sewed my mouth shut as a fair complaint against the violation of my rights and the awful living conditions under which I am kept as if I were a wild animal while the prison officials’ dogs live under exceptional conditions.

Mr. Herrera was one of the 75 dissidents imprisoned by the Castro regime in 2003, while the world’s attention was focused on the U.S. on the eve of the Iraq war. Read the rest of this brave man’s testimony at Marc Mas Ferrer’s Uncommon Sense.

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1-800-NO-2-CASTRO

By
Castro Death Watch
 – November 8, 2007Posted in: Anti-Communism, Cuban Dissidents, Friends of Cuban Freedom, From Other Blogs, Human Rights

The Miami Herald, Babalu Blog and other blogs are reporting a new initiative to help those repressed by the Castro government in Cuba. The initiative was launched by the Cuban Democratic Directorate (Directorio Democrático Cubano in Spanish), so I looked them up and found the press release here.

Basically, they plan to staff (24 hours a day) an international toll-free hotline where Cubans on the island can call to report any acts of political persecution by the Castro regime. The hotline number is 1-877-303-YONO (“Yo no” is Spanish for “I won’t” or “Not I” and is an allusion to the Directorate’s “I will not cooperate with the dictatorship” campaign).

According to the press release, “(t)his initiative from several pro-democracy exile organizations is a response to the increase in resistance actions on the Island such as protests by young Cubans wearing bracelets with the word CAMBIO, or change, as well as the public dissatisfaction demonstrated regarding Chinese buses recently bought by the Havana regime.”

This is awesome. This is incredible. The concept seems so obvious, I had a “Gee, I could’ve had a V-8″ moment when I first read about it.

But now, for the benefit of anyone reading this in Spanish (mostly, on the rare off-chance someone in Cuba might actually be able to read this blog), I’ve reproduced the entire press release in Spanish, below.

EXTRA: I found the following video (Spanish) on the “Cambio” and “Yono” campaigns on Youtube.

AUMENTA REPRESIÓN EN CUBA: EXILIADOS CREAN LÍNEA DIRECTA DE LA RESISTENCIA CÍVICA
07/11/2007 | Directorio Democrático Cubano

Organizaciones del exilio cubano encabezadas por ex presos políticos dieron a conocer durante una conferencia de prensa hoy miércoles, que reconocerán como perseguidos políticos a todo cubano que, por no cooperar con la dictadura y rechazar la farsa electoral, sean reprimidos o detenidos. También reconocerán como prisionero político todo aquel que sea encarcelado por los mismos motivos.

Durante la conferencia, que tuvo lugar en la sede de Los Municipios de Cuba en el Exilio, se hizo pública una línea telefónica internacional que estará disponible las 24 horas del día para informar los actos de no cooperación que se lleven a cabo en la Isla, y por las cuales personas caigan presas o sean víctimas de persecución política por desarrollar nuevas formas de resistencia cívica dentro de la campaña de la no cooperación.

El teléfono, 1-877-303-YONO, estará disponible a todo el público a partir de este viernes y será atendida por el Presidio Político Histórico Cubano. Esta iniciativa de distintas organizaciones pro democráticas del exilio es una respuesta de ayuda por el aumento de actos de resistencia: las protestas por los jóvenes con las manillas CAMBIO y el descontento público demostrado hacia los autobuses chinos recién comprados por el régimen de Cuba.

“Nosotros nos encargaremos de documentar y publicar estas acciones, de dirigir a los organismos internacionales de los derechos humanos hacia el respaldo a estos perseguidos, y de hacerle llegar asistencia económica recaudada privadamente en las comunidades cubanas en el exilio a aquellos compatriotas que la necesiten al estar luchando por la libertad dentro de Cuba,” expresó Angel De Fana, de Plantados Hasta la Libertad y la Democracia en Cuba.

TODOS POR EL CAMBIO

LLAMEN A LA LINEA DIRECTA DE LA RESISTENCIA:

1-877-303-YONO

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Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

By
Castro Death Watch
 – November 6, 2007Posted in: Anti-Communism, Bush, Cuban Dissidents, Friends of Cuban Freedom, From Other Blogs, Human Rights

President Bush awards Presidential Medal of Freedom to Dr. Biscet
President George W. Bush presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Yan Valdes Morejon and Winnie Biscet in honor of their father Oscar Elias Biscet during a ceremony Monday, Nov. 5, 2007, in the East Room. “Oscar Biscet is a healer — known to 11 million Cubans as a physician, a community organizer, and an advocate for human rights,” said the President about the imprisoned physician. “The international community agrees that Dr. Biscet’s imprisonment is unjust, yet the regime has refused every call for his release.” White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian.

President Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet yesterday. Of course, because Dr. Biscet is locked in Fidel Castro’s gulag, the President had to present the award to Dr. Biscet’s son and daughter.

There’s not much for me to add to this, other than to say if anyone deserves the Presidential Medal of Freedom, it’s Dr. Biscet. I’ll leave you with a few links below.

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Breaking News: father fit to care for girl, judge says

By
Castro Death Watch
 – September 27, 2007Posted in: Defection, Human Rights, Media

The Miami Herald is reporting Judge Jeri Cohen has decided the father is fit to have custody of the five-year-old foster girl whose mother brought her and her brother to the U.S., paving the way for her return into Castro’s clutches.

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Today’s the big day…

By
Castro Death Watch
 – September 27, 2007Posted in: Defection, Human Rights, Media

…for the little Cuban girl whose life is in the hands of a judge who had previously said “If we deport people back to Cuba, we could empty our jails:”

The judge in a contentious child custody dispute is expected to reveal today her ruling on whether a Cuban father is a fit parent to his 5-year-old daughter.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Jeri B. Cohen had indicated initially she would release her ruling to the public Wednesday, but shifted course after attorneys for the girl’s father, Rafael Izquierdo, objected to the release of the document to the media.

Instead, Cohen will read her ruling in open court. The proceedings are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.

Pray for the little girl. ANd pray for the judge to make the right decision.

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Monday, Monday…

By
Castro Death Watch
 – August 26, 2007Posted in: Defection, Human Rights, Media, Politics

Tomorrow (Monday) a big court date is set for the custody battle between the foster, and would be adoptive parents of a young Cuban girl in Miami, and her father from Cuba:

Nearly eight years after the battle over young Elian Gonzalez divided this city, another Cuban child has become the center of a bitter custody fight. A trial is set to begin Monday in family court over whether the 4-year-old girl’s father can regain custody of his daughter or whether she should remain with the wealthy Cuban-American former sports agent and his wife who want to adopt her.

We’ve mentioned this story before, as have numerous other blogs and websites. What makes this case especially interesting is the fact that the foster father was only recently revealed as Joe Cubas, a sports agent best known for representing defecting Cuban baseball stars. A few days ago, Babalu Blog posted that this was a case of revenge by Castro; I agree. Sure smells like it.

And here’s an interesting quote from today’s article, the one I’m posting about here:

Both (the girl’s mother, Elena) Perez and (head of the Cuba Study Group Carlos) Saladrigas said the community’s fear was that in both the Elian case and this one the fathers were pressured to bring the children back by the Castro government.

“The concern is whether they are speaking from their heart or being coerced, and there is no clear answer to that. You will never know,” Saladrigas said, adding, “If it wouldn’t be for that it would be a no-brainer.”

Funny how that got buried at the end of the article.

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Hungary, if Castro ‘slams’ you,

By
Castro Death Watch
 – August 23, 2007Posted in: Anti-Communism, Cuban Dissidents, Defection, Friends of Cuban Freedom, Human Rights, Hunger Strike, Wet Foot Dry Foot

then you KNOW you did a good thing:

Cuba branded Hungary an “imperial accomplice” of Washington on Wednesday for granting political asylum to 29 Cubans who were held at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. naval base.

Those given Hungarian visas were among 44 Cubans picked up at sea by the U.S. Coast Guard. Authorities deemed them at risk of persecution if repatriated and held the group at the U.S. base while officials sought a third country to take them.

Many were dissidents, and some were at the base more than two years.

The Cubans at the Guantanamo base included 17 who staged a hunger strike to protest conditions, but it ended August 17 when Hungary announced it would take 29 migrants.

A third country was expected to take seven more, and five others were approved to go to the United States. One chose to return to Cuba for family reasons, and the status of a couple who were offered Hungarian visas but apparently refused them was unclear.

Too effing bad, Castro. Screw you and the horse/hearse you’re riding in if you don’t like it.

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Cuban journalist “freed” from prison

By
Castro Death Watch
 – August 21, 2007Posted in: Cuban Dissidents, Freedom of the Press, Human Rights, Media

Of course, when you’re talking about Fidel Castro’s Cuba, being “freed” from prison is a relative term. After all, Cuba under the Castro brothers is nothing but a huge, open-air prison.

But I digress.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), independent Cuban journalist Armando Betancourt Reina was released Monday. He’d been imprisoned in Cerámica Roja Prison in Camagüey since May of last year.

This is great news. But it’s tempered by the following statement by CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon:

“…We reiterate our calls for Cuban authorities to immediately release the other 24 journalists unjustly imprisoned today in Cuba for expressing their views.”

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As Castro’s health improves,

By
Castro Death Watch
 – June 20, 2007Posted in: Cuban Dissidents, Freedom of the Press, Human Rights

the health of journalists unjustly condemned to Castro’s Gulag during the Black Spring of 2003 suffers:

Families and friends of eight independent Cuban journalists who have been unjustly imprisoned since 2003 say that the health of their loved ones has seriously deteriorated in recent months amid poor prison conditions and insufficient health care.

In a series of interviews with the Committee to Protect Journalists, relatives and friends described health problems ranging from diabetes and a tumor to pneumonia and cataracts. In some cases, they say, the journalists have received little medical attention. They say hot and unsanitary prison conditions have exacerbated the medical problems. Pre-existing ailments have worsened in prison, the families and friends say, while a host of serious new illnesses have arisen among those jailed.

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