Cuba: HRF mourns the passing of Laura Pollán, leader of the Ladies in White

NEW YORK (October 17, 2011)—The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) expresses its profound sadness over the death of Laura Pollán, founder and leader of the Ladies in White, a Cuban civil society group that organizes peaceful weekly protests in support of political prisoners. Pollán, who was 63 years old and the wife of a former political prisoner, passed away on Friday evening after suffering cardiac arrest at a hospital in Havana. In the year prior to her death, Pollán conducted two exclusive interviews with HRF, smuggled out of Cuba and published on YouTube.

“The woman who embodied the peaceful struggle for freedom in Cuba has died. We are deeply saddened by this news,” said Thor Halvorssen, president of HRF. “On her weekly marches, with a flower in her hand and a cry for freedom on her lips, Laura was the individual who exposed the brutality of the Castro brothers for all the world to see.”

Pollán was the founder and leader of the Ladies in White, a world-renowned civil society organization formed by the families and supporters of political prisoners who were arrested during the “Black Spring” government crackdown on Cuban dissidents in 2003. Pollán’s husband, Hector Maceda, was one of the 75 independent journalists, librarians, and democracy and human rights activists who were arrested. Of the 75 political prisoners arrested, 53 are now in exile. Twelve prisoners refused exile and were granted parole in Cuba. After eight years of imprisonment, Maceda is one of the 12 political prisoners who refused exile.

Pollán was admitted to the hospital on October 7, with respiratory problems. Due to her activities with the Ladies in White, Pollán was a target of constant harassment by the Cuban government. On September 24, 2011, her house was surrounded by 200 people, including state agents and government supporters, who attacked her in order to restrain her from her weekly protest.

In the year prior to her death, Pollán conducted two exclusive interviews with HRF. In the first interview, Pollán relayed the story of the group’s formation. In the second interview, Pollán affirmed that the Ladies in White would continue to peacefully protest for a total pardon, instead of conditional release, for all political prisoners in Cuba.

"The government simply wants to give the world the impression that things are changing. But in reality, while the laws that put dissidents in prison remain, we cannot talk about real changes,” said Pollán. "The whole world is awakening and removing its blindfold with regards to Cuba,” she stated.

“Pollán earned a place in history as a symbol of non-violent struggle against dictatorship everywhere,” declared Halvorssen. “Her story is not just one of an effective and peaceful activist for democracy and human rights. Above all, it is an extraordinary story of love,” concluded Halvorssen.

HRF is a nonprofit nonpartisan organization that protects and promotes human rights globally, with an expertise in the Americas. We believe that all human beings are entitled to freedom of self-determination, freedom from tyranny, 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: Thor Halvorssen, Human Rights Foundation, (212) 246.8486, info@thehrf.org

• Watch HRF's first interview with Laura Pollán here
• Watch HRF's second interview with Laura Pollán here
• Watch Laura Pollan's last interview in CNN in Spanish here