Resolution on the Human Rights situation in Cuba
Presented by the Ligue française des droits de l’Homme et du citoyen
The International Federation for Human rights (FIDH), meeting at its 37th
Congress in Yerevan, Armenia wishes to express its deepest concern
regarding the political repression against members of the opposition in Cuba.
Orlando Zapata, one of the 201 political prisoners in Cuba and a member of
“Cuban Democratic Directory”, an organisation which is not recognized by the
Cuban government, died on February 23, 2010 after 85 days of hunger strike
for having protested against the conditions of his detention.
According to Mr Elizardo Sanchez, president of the Commission for Human
Rights and National Reconciliation, an FIDH member organisation, the delay in
providing appropriate care constituted “ a virtual and premeditated
assassination”. Mr Oswaldo Paya, laureate of the Sakharov prize awarded by
the European Parliament, also accused the authorities for having slowly killed
Orlando Zapata, who was according to him victim of assaults and racist
violence at the time of his detention.
Guillermo “Coco” Farinas, psychologist and independent journalist, took over
the hunger strike after Zapata’s death. Hospitalised in Santa Clara, he refused
political asylum offered by Spain and requested release of the 26 sick political
prisoners. He is supported by Franklin Pelegrino, also on hunger strike with
Holguin, and by Darsi Ferrer, also a hunger striker at the prison of Valle
Grande in Havana, who, after having investigated as a doctor the public health
system and the situation of human rights in Cuba, is in prison since July 21,
2009 without any charges notified to him.
The “ladies in white”, association of the political prisoners’ wives, who daily
demonstrate in the center of Havana, have been victims of repeated acts of
harassment from the Cuban armed forces.
The 37th congress of the FIDH, in solidarity with its Cuban organisation,
condemns detention of political opponents, arrests and detentions without
judgment and ill treatments directed against the citizens who peacefully
demonstrate their dissent with the policy of the Cuban government.
The Congress calls upon the Cuban authorities to put a term to these repeated
violations of human rights and to respect the principles which guarantee the
democratic liberties under the Rule of law.