HRF on the Anniversary of “Black Spring:” Cuban Regime Must Release all Political Prisoners

NEW YORK (March 18, 2010) – Seven years after Cuba’s “Black Spring,” when the Castro regime imprisoned 75 independent journalists, underground librarians, and democracy activists, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) urges the Cuban regime to release all political prisoners.

“The ‘Black Spring’ anniversary is a sad reminder that nothing has changed now that the younger Castro brother is the dictator,” said Thor Halvorssen, president of HRF. “In the wake of Orlando Zapata Tamayo’s death, the Cuban government has increased its harassment, arresting many advocates arbitrarily. What it should do instead is release its more than 200 political prisoners,” declared Halvorssen.

Zapata Tamayo, one of the prisoners of conscience of “Black Spring,” died after a prolonged hunger strike in February. The 42-year old construction worker was demanding better prison conditions. Currently, civil society activist Guillermo Fariñas is near death due to a hunger strike he initiated to protest Zapata’s death and demand the freedom of more than 20 sick political prisoners.

“Democratic governments like those of Brazil and Spain, along with international bodies like the Organization of American States, need to stop making nice with the Cuban dictatorship – the world’s longest-serving despotism. Lula, Zapatero, and Insulza should speak up for Cuba’s most vulnerable. Why are they celebrating Castro instead?” asked Halvorssen.

“Black Spring” was a country-wide crackdown on Cuban dissidents on March 18-20, 2003, and is considered a response to the success of the Varela Project and the rise of independent journalism on the island. The Varela Project was an effort by Cuban civil society to introduce democratic changes to Cuba via a referendum. Among its demands were calls for freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and free and fair elections. Varela Project organizers obtained more than the 10,000 votes required by the Constitution to put their demands to a vote, but the government never responded to their requests.

In the months preceding the government offensive, independent journalism had also become popular on the island. Journalists began reporting on the incidents that Cuba’s state-controlled media did not cover, publicizing them within the island and internationally. Their work was an embarrassment to the government. Of the 75 imprisoned, more than half were involved in the Varela Project and more than 20 were independent journalists.

These activists received sentences ranging from 6 to 28 years in prison for “disrespecting” the Revolution, “giving information to the enemy,” and “treason.” Today, 52 remain in jail, where they are subject to inhumane conditions, including denial of medical care, solitary confinement, lack of access to food, limited visitation rights, and physical abuse. Government agents and their sympathizers routinely harass their family members, most of who have been blacklisted from employment.

Wives and other relatives of the 75 formed the internationally-renowned “Ladies in White,” a group that organizes Sunday walkouts demanding freedom for the political prisoners and respect for human rights on the island. Just yesterday, during a peaceful demonstration in Havana, state security agents assaulted the women – punching, scratching, and insulting them – before dragging them onto a bus to forcibly remove them. Some of the women ended up in the hospital.

Cuba’s treatment of political prisoners and the dissident community violates numerous standards set forth in international instruments such as the U.N Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the 1998 U.N. Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which the Cuban government signed in February 2008.

HRF is an international nonpartisan organization devoted to defending human rights in the Americas. It centers its work on the twin concepts of freedom of self-determination and freedom from tyranny. These ideals include the belief that all human beings have the rights to speak freely, to associate with those of like mind, and to leave and enter their countries. Individuals in a free society must be accorded equal treatment and due process under law, and must have the opportunity to participate in the governments of their countries; HRF’s ideals likewise find expression in the conviction that all human beings have the right to be free from arbitrary detainment or exile and from interference and coercion in matters of conscience. HRF does not support nor condone violence. HRF’s International Council includes former prisoners of conscience Vladimir Bukovsky, Palden Gyatso, Václav Havel,Mutabar Tadjibaeva, Ramón J. Velásquez, Elie Wiesel, and Harry Wu.

Contact: Glenda Aldana, Human Rights Foundation, (212) 246.8486, info@thehrf.org