Communist Party members denounce violence against human rights activists

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Communist Party members denounce violence against human rights activists
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

Ranchuelos, Villa Clara, Cuba. February 14, 2007 – A brutal beating instigated by State Security and carried out publicly by members of the government has caused discontent among Communist Party members in the city of Ranchuelos in Villa Clara, according to independent journalist, Guillermo Fariñas Hernandez, from the Cubanacán Press Agency. The Cuban Democratic Directorate was able to confirm the incident after speaking to the victims: Orestes Suárez Torres and Nancy González García.

“There was a member of the party hose blood pressure rose, and she had to be taken to the hospital. Before she would not talk to us, but now she always greets us,” said Orestes Suárez Torres, a delegate of the Pro Human Rights Party affiliated to the Andrei Sajarov Foundation. “We’ve gotten this information from party militants that speak to us, and tell us there was a meeting held concerning the beating. There are about 15 or 16 that turned in their Identification card for the party, or tried to turn it in. There was a dispute with them; the same thing happened to members of ex combatants who said they fought against the Batista dictatorship, and had friends who suffered the same violence from that regime, they were tortured and beat, and asked how the Revolution was going to do this to its citizens today.”

The violence against spouses Suárez Torres and González García occurred in public. They were beat savagely through martial arts techniques hen they participated in an event for independent libraries. The blows resulted in profuse bleeding from their noses and ears, and both were taken by force to Ranchuelos. On the way, the attackers stopped at a stream and threw them into the water in an attempt to wash away some of the blood from their bodies. Later, they were taken to the headquarters of the Communist Party in the municipality, where repressive agents had gathered over 600 people who were unaware why they had been taken to this location from their workplaces. Once again, the couple was beat, and forced to scream “Long live Fidel.”

“I fight for democracy and so that everyone may enjoy their rights. If I lose my life in this struggle, I am willing to do so, and I will not be afraid until we have freedom and democracy in this country. I don’t feel hatred; the only thing I want is change so that everyone can take their place without aggression and without bloodshed. We are peaceful people,” expressed Nancy González García by telephone to the Cuban Democratic Directorate.

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