CONMEMORATIVE ACTS ON BEHALF OF HUMAN RIGHTS DAY ARE VIOLENTLY REPRESSED BY THE CUBAN REGIME

At least 300 arrests recorded for the current month of December

particular concern for the cases of Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia, Angel Moya, Ivonne Mayeza and Ignacio Martinez Montero

December 11, 2011

As peaceful human rights defenders in Cuba carried out marches, vigils, workshops and gatherings on the days prior and during Human Rights Day (December 10), the Cuban regime violated their rights of freedom of assembly, association, expression and of movement with threats, beatings, violent short term arrests, arbitrary imprisonments in undisclosed locations, interrogatories, mob attacks and acts of repudiation, as well as house arrests. These activists were also kidnapped by authorities and left abandoned in remote areas, miles away from their homes.

Among the human rights defenders who were subjected to inhumane and cruel treatment and short term detentions throughout Cuba during the week of December 5-12 are:

PINAR DEL RIO – Luis Enrique Monterrey Ramos, Yoangel Palacios Hernández, Víctor Rodríguez Morejón, Yazle Reinoso Ramos.

HAVANA – Yaimi Alfonso Miret, wife of Eriberto Liranza Romero, representative of the National Civic Resistance Front Orlando Zapata Tamayo in the western region of Cuba was violently arrested in front of his two children, Abraham Liranza Alfonso, 9 years old, and Lauri Liranza Alfonso, 6 years old. His whereabouts are presently unknown

Since Monday, December 5, a wave of repression began against members of the movement Ladies in White Laura Pollan to prevent them from gathering at their headquarters in Neptuno Street #963 in Havana on Human Rights Day. Many of the women were held under house arrest as their homes were surrounded by paramilary groups in their hometowns. Others were violently arrested and taken to police units, while others were blocked from going any further when they reached Neptuno Street. Those who were held under house arrest in their hometowns were: Daima Lamas, Nilda Leiva González, Sonia Martín, Aimé Cabrales, Linda Taguolla, Carina Quintana, Yurenis González, Oria Josefa Casanova, Tania Bandera, Mayelin de la O, Yarisbel Figueredo y Belkis Cantillo Ramírez. The following women were blocked from going on to Neptuno Street: Tania Maceda, Mari Blanca Ávila Esposito, Yadira Rodríguez, Liliam Estévez Romero, Niurkis Rivero, Blanca Hernández, Mirta Gómez, Leonor Reinot, Belkis Núñez y Magalys Norbis Otero. Members of the Ladies in White who were taken to State Security and Police Units were: Marlenis Guerra Martínez, Bárbara Teresa Romero Mendoza, Katiuska Rodríguez Rives, Yusladis Jorge la Guardia, Mildret Noemí Sánchez Infante, Anni Sarrión Romero, Adis Nidia Cruz, Yanelis Elegica Despaigne, Liudmila Rodríguez Palomo, Yaquelán García Jans, Lázara Mijan, Niurks Luke, Florencia Machado, Ana Luisa Rubio, Lourdes Esquivel Vieyto, Sulema Lay, Violeta Rojas Aullan, Sandra Guerra, Ana Rosa Ledea, Reida Villate, Mercedes Fresneda, Yaquelin Boris, Yanelis Cabrera, Laura Capote, Lidia Castañeda, Dania Virgen García, Tatiana López. Most of these women have been released.
On December 10th, twenty eight members of the Ladies in White Laura Pollan, who were gathered to remember Human Rights Day in their headquarters at Neptuno Street were subjected to hours of an “act of repudiation” led by a pro-government mob of 300 people whot kept calling them “witches” and “mercenaries”. On Sunday, December 11th, after 57 ladies attended Mass at the Church of Santa Rita, the women were intercepted on 5th Avenue as they were marching peacefully with gladioli in their hands. A screaming pro government crowd insulted and physically mistreated the ladies who were dragged and forced onto buses. As some were taken to undisclosed locations, those from other provinces were returned to their hometowns. Berta Soler, leader of the group was taken in a patrol car alone, back to her home in Alamar. Rosario Morales and Sara Martha Fonseca were taken to police units.
On December 9, ex political prisoner of conscience of the “Group of the75”, Arnaldo Ramos Lauzurique was blocked from entering the home of another expolitical prisoner of conscience, Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello. He was then taken away by State Security agents, as was Dr. Darsi Ferrer and his wife Yusnaimy Soca and the musician, Ciro Díaz.. Lilvio Fernández Luis and Reinier Vera were beaten and arrested on the same day and so was Sandra Guerra in Melena del Sur.
On December 10, the following activists were arrested: Yoel L. Carbonell Guilar, Aurelio Antonio González Ayala, the independent journalist, David Aguila, and Manuel Cuesta Morúa.
A crew of journalists from the press agency Asociated Press who were interviewing the few citizens along the Malecón on December, was roughed up on December 9 by plainclothes agents who were posted along this seaside wall in Havana to prevent any gatherings in this area.
MATANZAS – Félix Navarro and Iván Hernández Carrillo, both ex political prisoners of conscience of the “Group of the 75”. Also, Emilio Bringas, Félix Pérez Palenzuela, Eduardo Marcos Pacheco Ortiz, Francisco Rangel Manzano, Adrian Pérez Mendoza. Under house arrest: Merecedes de la Guardia Hernández, Eduardo Marcos Pacheco Ortiz, José Antonio del Cueto Carreño. Hiding out because her house was surrounded by paramilitary groups: Leticia Ramos Herrería.

VILLA CLARA (Central Cuba) Idania Yanes Contreras, president of the Coalición Central Opositora, reported that since December 7, many of the activists’s houses were surrounded and that more than 40 human rights defenders were arrested: Jorge Luis García Pérez Antúnez, Librado Linares García, Yris Pérez Aguilera, Yanisbel Valido Pérez, María del Carmen Martínez López, Víctor Castillo Ortega, Maribel Rodríguez Prieto, Yoel Fonseca Machado, Ordalidia González Barroso, Omar Núñez Espinosa, Rolando Ferrer Espinosa, Damaris Moya Portieles, Rodolfo Ernildo Pérez Benítez , Alcides Rivera Rodríguez, Guillermo Fariñas Hernández, José Lino Asencio López, Félix Reyes Gutiérrez, Yasmín Conlledo Riverón, Yusmani Rafael Alvarez Esmoy, Jesús Arístides Hernández Pérez, Roberto Zapata Blanco, Ana Rosa Alfonso Arteaga, Guillermo del Sol Pérez , Orlando Alfonso Martínez, Donaida Pérez Paseiro, Gliceria Paseiro Espinosa, Yris Tamara Pérez Aguilera, , Michel Oliva Lopez, Alberto Reyes Morales, Ramón Arbolaez Abreu, Mayra Conlledo García, Nosbel Jomorca Benavides, Yosmel Pérez, Maidel González Almeida, Alexei Sotolongo Díaz, Miguel Alexei Fernández, Ezequiel Enrique López, Héctor Bermúdez Santana, Luis Manuel Ribalca, Martínez, Javier Delgado Torna, Ariel Orama Martín, Mario Abreu, José Rodríguez López, Sandal Reyes Machado, Aniceto Alvarez Miranda, Yoel Regino Díaz Martínez, Daniel de Armas Casanova, Adalberto Bravo del Sol, José Ramón Borges Serrano, Antonio Suárez Fonticella, Alexander Mesa Rodríguez, José Marino Andrade Treto, Leonardo Rodríguez Alonso, Magaly Broche de la Cruz, José Soto Roche, Jesús Reinaldo Rodríguez Peláez, Guillermo Sánchez Blas, Donaida Perez Paseiro and Gliceria Paseiro Espinosa. The activists belonged to the following human rights groups in Villa Clara: Coalición Central Opositora, Foro Antitotalitario Unido Juan Wilfredo Soto Garcia, Frente Nacional de Resistencia Civica y Desobediencia Civil Orlando Zapata Tamayo and the Movimiento Cubano Reflexión.

Many of these arrests were very violent. Jorge Luis García Pérez Antúnez was punched and kicked on the ground before being forced on to a patrol car.

On December 9, in Camaguaní, Villa Clara the house of Librado Linares, an exprisoner of conscience of the “Group of the 75”, was surrounded and he was eventually arrested. Felix Reyes was also subjected to an arbitrary arrest in Villa Clara.

CAMAGUEY - The following activists were arrested on December 6 and taken to different police units when they were carrying out a silent peaceful march to remember human rights day: Yoan David González Milanés, Mauro Emilio Puig Arrondo, Juan Luis Pérez García, Verlay Bejerano Estrada, Guillermo Rodríguez Rodríguez, Pastor Guzmán Gutierrez Peláez, Rafael Infante González, René Fernández Quiroga and Dayan Mayor Betancourt. The last two were reported abandoned 30 kms away from their home were they were brutally beaten by agents.

LAS TUNAS – (Eastern Cuba) - Armando Peña Guzmán detained early December 10th.

HOLGUIN (Eastern Cuba) - The independent journalist José Ramón Pupo Nieves of the Holguin Press agency reported that at least 23 arrests took place on December 7, that included members of the human rights organizations: Impacto Juvenil Republicano, Prensa Joven, Partido Republicano de Cuba, and FLAMUR. Among those arrested were: Rosa María Naranjo Nieves, Lidia Hernández Pérez, Dionel Aguilera Naranjo, Maria Antonia Hidalgo Mir was threatened by the police.

Adisnidia Cruz and Marco Antonio Lima, parents of Marcos Maiquel and Antonio Michel Lima Cruz, two young activists serving prison sentences, were also arrested on December 7.

BAYAMO (Eastern Cuba) - On December 7, Yoandri Gutierrez and his family were subjected to an act of repudiation and were later arrested. Yaquelín García was subjected to a brutal beating and to short term detention.

GUANTANAMO (Eastern Cuba) – Rosaida Ramirez reported that the activists Rogelio Tabío, Roberto Carlos Corso and Yordis Sofia were beaten and detained.

MANZANILLO (Eastern Cuba) – Osvaldo Pérez Rojas arrested without information of his whereabouts on December 9.

The whereabouts of Cuban prisoners of conscience, Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia and Angel Moya of the “Group of the 75”, as well as of the human rights defender Jorge Cervantes are presently unknown to their families. These three activists were violently beaten on Friday, December 2nd as they were initiating the second stage of the National March for Freedom: Boitel Zapata Viven!, alongside 50 human rights defenders (released) in the Eastern City of Palma Soriano. The political police will not tell the wives of these activists where their husbands are being held prisoners nor their states of health.

After a week and a half without knowing her whereabouts, the Lady in White, Ivonne Mayeza was located at the “Centro de Procesamiento Penal” at Calabazar Avenue in Havana, where her husband, Ignacio Martinez Montero is also being held in critical health with a heart ailment. Mayeza carried out a hunger strike for about 10 days to protest her arrest. Both activists were violently detained following a peaceful protest in the Fraternidad Park in Havana where they displayed a white sheet that read: “Down with Hunger, Misery, and Poverty”.

As the year 2011 is coming to a close, the Coalition of Cuban-American Women alerts the international community that the lives of those members of Cuban civil society who are actively and publicly struggling on behalf of fundamental freedoms are in danger. We are particularly concerned in Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia, Angel Moya, Ivonne Mayeza and Ignacio Martinez Montero. International recognition of the peaceful resistance and solidarity for those human rights defenders is crucial. We make an urgent call on religious, civic, political, and cultural entities and its leaders, as well as to non-governmental human rights organizations worldwide.

Coalition of Cuban-American Women / Joseito76@aol.com / Laida A.Carro

FURTHER INFORMATION IN CUBA: Berta Soler +5352906820 / Belkis Cantillo + 5353790867