BLIND LAWYER EXPOSED TO CONSTANT STATE OF TERROR

(VERSION EN ESPAÑOL ABAJO)

CUBA

BLIND LAYWER, PRESIDENT OF THE CUBAN FOUNDATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, EXPOSED TO CONSTANT STATE OF TERROR
MAY 29, 2006

Cuban human rights activist, Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leiva, is suffering constant and systematic acts of provocation and threats to his person and his home by Cuban State Security.

On May 24, 2006, the activist and his father were awakened suddenly when a huge stone was violently thrown against the gate of the house on Honorato del Castillo #154 between Republica and Cuba in the city of Ciego de Avila.

According to testimony by Juan Carlos, a post of military personnel that constantly keeps a vigil on him has been established facing his house. When he walks through the streets of Ciego de Avila, State Security agents threaten to beat him up, they shout insults at him, and they chant pro-governmental slogans at him, humiliating him publicly.

Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leiva was incarcerated without a trial and suffered physical and psychological tortures for 26 months for having peacefully demonstrated along with other members of the Cuban Foundation of Human Rights at a hospital in Ciego de Avila where an independent journalist who had been brutally beaten by forces of State Security was taken. He was accused before a tribunal of committing common crimes in a trial on April 26, 2004 and had to serve the rest of a four-year sentence under house arrest.

The Cuban Foundation of Human Rights is a peaceful, pro-democracy organization that struggles for the development of a civil society and the defense of human rights in Cuba. It has delegates all across Cuba and has created agencies of independent press and has established more than 40 independent libraries.

___________________________________________________________________________-
Testimony of Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leiva obtained by telephone on May 25, 2006.
Taped, transcribed, and translated by the Coalition of Cuban-American Women/
LAIDA CARRO or TANYA WILDER
Tel: 305-662-5947 Fax: 305-740-7323
Emails: Joseito76@aol.com/ or tswilder@charter.net

------------------------------------------------------
CUBA

ABOGADO INVIDENTE, PRESIDENTE DE LA FUNDACION CUBANA DE DERECHOS HUMANOS, EXPUESTO A UN CONSTANTE ESTADO DE TERROR
MAYO 29, 2006


El activista por los derechos humanos en Cuba, Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leiva, esta padeciendo constantes y sistematicos actos de provocacion y agresion a su persona y a su hogar por parte de la Seguridad del Estado cubana.

La noche del 24 de mayo pasado, se despertaron subitamente el activista y su padre cuando fue lanzada violentamente una enorme piedra contra la reja de la casa situada en Honorato del Castillo #154 entre Republica y Cuba en la ciudad de Ciego de Ávila.

Segun testimonio de Juan Carlos, frente a su casa se ha creado un punto de militares que lo vigila constantemente. Cuando camina por las calles de Ciego de Avila la Seguridad del Estado lo amenaza con agredirlo, le gritan improperios y le cantan consignas progubernamentales, humillandolo publicamente.

Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leiva estuvo encarcelado sufriendo torturas psiquicas y fisicas, sin celebrarsele juicio, durante 26 meses por haberse manifestado pacificamente junto a otros miembros de la Fundacion Cubana de Derechos Humanos en un hospital de Ciego de Avila donde se encontraba un periodista independiente que habia sido brutalemente agredido por fuerzas de la Seguridad del Estado cubana. Fue acusado ante un tribunal de cometer delitos comunes en un juicio que se llevo a cabo el 26 de abril de 2004. Cumplio el resto de una condena de cuatro años bajo prisión domiciliaria.

La Fundacion Cubana de Derechos Humanos es una organizacion pacifica, pro democracia que lucha por el desarrollo de la sociedad civil y la defensa de los derechos humanos en Cuba. Tiene delegaciones en todo el territorio nacional cubano y ha creado agencias de prensa independientes y ha establecido mas de 40 bibliotecas independientes.
---------------------------------------------
Testimonio de Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leiva obtenido via telefonica el 25 de mayo, 2006.
Grabado, transcrito y traducido al ingles por la Coalicion de Mujeres Cubano-Americanas.
Tel: 305-662-5947 Fax: 305-740-7323 Direccion electronica: Joseito76@aol.com