Sen. Nelson's resolution on the Varela Project
April 8, 2004
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 328
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the continued human rights violations committed by Fidel Castro and the Government of Cuba.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 1, 2004
Mr. NELSON of Florida (for himself, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. CORZINE, Mr. KERRY, and Mr. COLEMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
April 8, 2004
Committee discharged; considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the continued human rights violations committed by Fidel Castro and the Government of Cuba.
Whereas, one year ago, in March 2003, Fidel Castro and the Government of Cuba led a nationwide campaign to arrest and jail dozens of prominent democracy activists and critics of the repressive regime in Cuba;
Whereas credible nongovernmental observers report that the imprisoned democracy activists include--
(1) Osvaldo Alfonso Valdes, sentenced for 18 years;
(2) Librado Linares Garcia, sentenced for 20 years;
(3) Raul Rivero Castaneda, sentenced for 20 years;
(4) Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello, sentenced for 20 years;
(5) Victor Rolando Arroyo Carmona, sentenced for 26 years;
(6) Mijail Barzaga Lugo, sentenced for 15 years;
(7) Oscar Elias Biscet, sentenced for 25 years;
(8) Margarito Broche Espinosa, sentenced for 25 years;
(9) Dr. Marcelo Cana Rodriguez, sentenced for 18 years;
(10) Roberto de Miranda Hernandez, sentenced for 20 years;
(11) Carmelo Diaz Fernandez, sentenced for 18 years;
(12) Eduardo Diaz Fleitas, sentenced for 21 years;
(13) Antonio Diaz Sanchez, sentenced for 20 years;
(14) Alfredo Dominguez Batista, sentenced for 14 years;
(15) Oscar Espinosa Chepe, sentenced for 20 years;
(16) Alfredo Felipe Fuentes, sentenced for 26 years;
(17) Efren Fernandez Fernandez, sentenced for 12 years;
(18) Adolfo Fernandez Sainz, sentenced for 15 years;
(19) Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia, sentenced for 25 years;
(20) Luis Enrique Ferrer Garcia, sentenced for 28 years;
(21) Orlando Fundora Alvarez, sentenced for 20 years;
(22) Prospero Gainza Aguero, sentenced for 25 years;
(23) Miguel Galban Gutierrez, sentenced for 26 years;
(24) Julio Cesar Galvez Rodriguez, sentenced for 15 years;
(25) Jose Luis Garcia Paneque, sentenced for 24 years;
(26) Edel Jose Garcia Diaz, sentenced for 16 years;
(27) Ricardo Gonzalez Alfonso, sentenced for 20 years;
(28) Diosdado Gonzalez Marrero, sentenced for 20 years;
(29) Lester Gonzalez Penton, sentenced for 20 years;
(30) Alejandro Gonzalez Raga, sentenced for 14 years;
(31) Jorge Luis Gonzalez Tanquero, sentenced for 20 years;
(32) Leonel Grave de Peralta Almenares, sentenced for 20 years;
(33) Ivan Hernandez Carrillo, sentenced for 25 years;
(34) Normando Hernandez Gonzalez, sentenced for 25 years;
(35) Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta, sentenced for 20 years;
(36) Regis Iglesias Ramirez, sentenced for 18 years;
(37) Jose Ubaldo Izquierdo Hernandez, sentenced for 16 years;
(38) Reinaldo Labrada Pena, sentenced for 6 years;
(39) Nelson Alberto Aguiar Ramirez, sentenced for 13 years;
(40) Marcelo Lopez Banobre, sentenced for 15 years;
(41) Jose Miguel Martinez Hernandez, sentenced for 13 years;
(42) Hector Maseda Gutierrez, sentenced for 20 years;
(43) Mario Enrique Mayo Hernandez, sentenced for 20 years;
(44) Dr. Luis Milan Fernandez, sentenced for 13 years;
(45) Nelson Moline Espino, sentenced for 20 years;
(46) Angel Juan Moya Acosta, sentenced for 20 years;
(47) Jesus Mustafa Felipe, sentenced for 25 years;
(48) Felix Navarro Rodriguez, sentenced for 25 years;
(49) Jorge Olivera Castillo, sentenced for 18 years;
(50) Pablo Pacheco Avila, sentenced for 20 years;
(51) Hector Palacios Ruiz, sentenced for 25 years;
(52) Arturo Perez de Alejo Rodriguez, sentenced for 20 years;
(53) Omar Pernet Hernandez, sentenced for 25 years;
(54) Horacio Julio Pina Borrego, sentenced for 20 years;
(55) Fabio Prieto Llorente, sentenced for 20 years;
(56) Alfredo Pulido Lopez, sentenced for 14 years;
(57) Jose Gabriel Ramon Castillo, sentenced for 20 years;
(58) Arnaldo Ramos Lauzerique, sentenced for 18 years;
(59) Blas Giraldo Reyes Rodriguez, sentenced for 25 years;
(60) Pedro Pablo Alvarez Ramos, sentenced for 25 years;
(61) Alexis Rodriguez Fernandez, sentenced for 15 years;
(62) Omar Rodriguez Saludes, sentenced for 27 years;
(63) Pedro Arguelles Moran, sentenced for 20 years;
(64) Omar Ruiz Hernandez, sentenced for 18 years;
(65) Claro Sanchez Albtarriba, sentenced for 15 years;
(66) Ariel Sigler Amaya, sentenced for 20 years;
(67) Guido Sigler Amaya, sentenced for 20 years;
(68) Ricardo Enrique Silva Gual, sentenced for 10 years;
(69) Fidel Suarez Cruz, sentenced for 20 years;
(70) Manuel Ubals Gonzalez, sentenced for 20 years;
(71) Julio Antonio Valdes Guevara, sentenced for 20 years;
(72) Miguel Valdes Tamayo, sentenced for 15 years;
(73) Hector Raul Valle Hernandez, sentenced for 12 years;
(74) Manuel Vazquez Portal, sentenced for 18 years; and
(75) Antonio Augusto Villarreal Acosta, sentenced for 15 years;
Whereas the imprisoned political opponents of Castro include librarians, journalists, poets, and others who have supported the Varela Project, which seeks to bring free speech, open elections, and democracy to Cuba;
Whereas Fidel Castro seized the opportunity to expand his brutal oppression of the people of Cuba while the attention of the United States and other nations around the world was focused on the war in Iraq;
Whereas the failure to condemn the Government of Cuba's continued political repression of democracy activists will further undermine the opportunity for freedom on the island; and
Whereas the international community missed an opportunity to speak against such brutal repression in a meaningful manner during the 59th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights held in Geneva, Switzerland, from March 17, 2003, through April 23, 2003: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) reaffirms--
(A) Senate Resolution 272, 107th Congress, unanimously agreed to June 10, 2002, calling for, among other things, amnesty for all political prisoners in Cuba;
(B) Senate Resolution 97, 108th Congress, unanimously agreed to April 7, 2003, condemning the crackdown on democracy activists in Cuba; and
(C) Senate Resolution 62, 108th Congress, unanimously agreed to June 27, 2003, calling upon the Organization of American States Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Union, and human rights activists throughout the world to take certain actions in regard to the human rights situation in Cuba;
(2) calls on the Government of Cuba to immediately release individuals imprisoned for political purposes;
(3) praises the bravery of those Cubans who, because they practiced free speech and signed the Varela Project petition, have been targeted in this most recent government crackdown;
(4) calls on foreign governments to--
(A) increase the pressure on the Government of Cuba to improve its record on human rights in Cuba; and
(B) invite civil society leaders and democracy activists in Cuba to official events;
(5) calls upon the 60th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva from March 15, 2004, to April 23, 2004, to--
(A) condemn Cuba for its human rights abuses; and
(B) demand that inspectors from the International Committee of the Red Cross be allowed to visit and inspect the conditions of prisons to assess for the international community the extent of human rights abuses and the current situation in Cuba; and
(6) urges the President to direct United States Representatives at the 60th Session of the Commission on Human Rights to make the strong condemnation of the human rights situation in Cuba a top priority.
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