Leading Cuba Opposition Activist, Néstor Rodríguez Lobaina, Arbitrarily Arrested in Havana

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Leading Cuba Opposition Activist, Néstor Rodríguez Lobaina, Arbitrarily Arrested in Havana
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

Néstor was arrested on his way to the Ministry of Justice to protest against his being blocked from participating in the 2nd Geneva Summit for Human Rights, Tolerance, and Democracy

Havana. March 10, 2010. Cuban Democratic Directorate. Néstor Rodríguez Lobaina, leader of the Cuban Youth for Democracy Movement, was detained along with independent journalist Carlos Serpa Maceira in Habana Vieja, Havana, yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, March 9. The arbitrary arrests were reported by Serpa Maceira, who was held for several hours and subsequently released.

“We fear for Néstor Rodríguez Lobaina’s physical integrity. At this time, he is being detained at the El Cotorro Police Staton on charges of “theft,” and “spreading epidemics.” This is a lie. He was on his way to the Ministry of Justice to demand respect for his right to enter and exit the country, since he was blocked from traveling to Switzerland,” stated Serpa Maceira by telephone to the Cuban Democratic Directorate (Directorio).

Rodríguez Lobaina had been invited to address the 2nd Geneva Summit for Human Rights, Tolerance, and Democracy on March 8. The Summit was sponsored by a global coalition of nongovernmental organizations. Nevertheless, Rodríguez Lobaina was informed late last February that he would not be allowed to leave Cuba.

“It is interesting that Raúl Castro’s regime wishes to accuse Néstor Rodríguez Lobaina of common crimes at the same time that it is attempting to tar all those who oppose the regime as common criminal. The regime leveled that accusation against Orlando Zapata Tamayo, a prisoner of conscience who was recently murdered. Yet another lie. Néstor Rodríguez Lobaina is a recognized human rights defender who has been recognized on three separate occasions by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience,” stated Janisset Rivero, Adjunct National Secretary of Directorio.

The Cuban Democratic Directorate calls the attention of the international community to this detention and the trumped up charges of common crimes which are being used to try to hide the real reasons for his arrest.

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