International Youth Organization Supports Cuban Resistance, Commemorates March 18th Crackdown

Press Releases

From Cuba

Articles

Human Rights

Media Coverage

» Press Releases

International Youth Organization Supports Cuban Resistance, Commemorates March 18th Crackdown
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

http://www.iydu.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75&Itemid=26

IYDU Statement on 6th Anniversary of Crackdown on Cuban Civil Society

IYDU Chairman, Tim Dier, makes a statement in response to the sixth anniversary of 78 members of Cuban civil society, including human rights defenders, independent journalists, and peaceful democracy activists, being unjustly detained.

Recalling that on March 18th, 2003, 78 members of Cuban civil society, including human rights defenders, independent journalists, and peaceful democracy activists, were unjustly detained and 75 of them were sentenced to harsh prison terms after summary trials,

Recognizing that the 75 prisoners of the March 18th crackdown joined hundreds of other Cubans imprisoned solely on account of their beliefs,

Recalling that the International Young Democrat Union (IYDU) resolved to stand in solidarity with Cuban political prisoners during its 2008 Council Meeting,

The IYDU

Calls upon the Cuban government to release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally,

Salutes Cuban civil society, human rights defenders, independent journalists, and peaceful democracy activists as they continue their 50 year Resistance effort to live under free, constitutional, and democratic government.

***

THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS REITERATES THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE OF CUBA:

1. Order the immediate and unconditional release of the victims in this case, while overturning their convictions inasmuch as they were based on laws that impose unlawful restrictions on their human rights.

2. Adopt the measures necessary to adapt its laws, procedures and practices to international human rights laws. In particular, the Commission is recommending to the Cuban State that it repeal Law No. 88 and Article 91 of its Criminal Code, and that it initiate a process to amend its Constitution to ensure the independence of the judicial branch of government and the right to participate in government.

4. Redress the victims and their next of kin for the pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages suffered as a result of the violations of the American Declaration herein established.

5. Adopt the measures necessary to prevent a recurrence of similar acts, in keeping with the State’s duty to respect and ensure human rights.

From REPORT Nº 67/06 CASE 12.476 OSCAR ELÍAS BISCET ET AL. vs CUBA
October 21, 2006
http://www.cidh.oas.org/annualrep/2006eng/CUBA.12476eng.htm

[W]e vigorously condemn the continued imprisonment in Cuba of the 75 human rights defenders, independent journalists, democracy advocates, independent librarians and other activists. These Cuban citizens were imprisoned solely for exercising their basic human rights to free expression and assembly, and for promoting greater respect for human and civil rights in Cuba. We urge the Cuban authorities to order their immediate and unconditional release, and to ensure that all prisoners are treated in accordance with basic international standards and norms until they are released.

A Joint Statement by Freedom House, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations on the first anniversary of the crackdown on peaceful dissent in Cuba
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2004/03/17/cuba-one-year-after-crackdown

On the 5th anniversary of the largest crackdown against political opponents in Cuba, Amnesty International today called on the new Cuban president to immediately release the 58 dissidents still being held in jails across the country, many for contacting journalists and human rights defenders. "The only crime committed by these 58 is the peaceful exercise of their fundamental freedoms. Amnesty International considers them to be prisoners of conscience. They must be released immediately and unconditionally," said Kerrie Howard, deputy director for Amnesty International's Americas program.

On Fifth Anniversary of Crackdown, Amnesty International Urges Cuba's New Leader to Release 58 Dissidents
http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20080317005&lang=e

The Personal Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
recommends that the Government of Cuba should take the following measures:

(a) Halt the prosecution of citizens who are exercising the rights guaranteed
under articles 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

(b) Release detained persons who have not committed acts of violence against individuals and property;

(c) Review laws which lead to criminal prosecutions of persons exercising their freedom of expression, demonstration, assembly and association, and in particular Act No. 88 and article 91 of the Criminal Code, in order to bring these provisions of the law into line with the above-mentioned provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

(d) Uphold, without exceptions, the moratorium on the application of the death penalty introduced in 2000, with a view to the abolition of the death penalty;

(e) Reform the rules of criminal procedure to bring them into line with the
requirements of articles 10 and 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

(f) Establish a standing independent body with the function of receiving
complaints from persons claiming that their fundamental rights have been violated;

(g) Review the regulations relating to travel into and out of Cuba in order to
guarantee freedom of movement as defined in article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

(h) Authorize non-governmental organizations to enter Cuba;

(i) Foster pluralism in respect of associations, trade unions, organs of the press and political parties in Cuba;

(j) Accede to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its
optional protocols and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

From Situation of human rights in Cuba
Report submitted by the Personal Representative of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights, Christine Chanet (2005)
http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G05/102/49/PDF/G0510249.pdf?OpenElement

Send by E-mail | Printable Version

About the author