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CubaBrief: 4 Cuban political prisoners sentenced to house arrest; hundreds remain unjustly jailed in Cuba. Center calls on human rights orgs to push for their freedom. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
CFC welcomes news of the release of José Daniel Ferrer together w/ José Pupo Chaveco, Fernando González Vaillant & Evert Luis Hidalgo of #UNPACU who'd been jailed alongside him in Oct 2019 & subjected to the same political show trial in Feb2020 that fell short of int'l standards.
Furthermore, José Daniel and the three other activists were sentenced under house arrest. The Center for a Free Cuba was able to confirm that Ferrer García was sentenced to four and a half years house arrest. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
José Daniel made statements to Radio and TV Marti and with Rosa Maria Paya of Cuba Decide. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
March 11th marked six months since independent journalist Roberto de Jesús Quiñones Haces began serving a one year prison sentence. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
The Cubanet journalist " was arrested by agents of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR for its initials in Spanish) on April 22 when attempting to cover a trial, as reported by Article 19 of Mexico and other organizations in a joint note." https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
Jesús Quiñones was covering the trial of "2 Christian homeschoolers, Pastor Ramón Rigal of the Church of God in Cuba, & his wife Ayda Expósito," were sentenced to prison "for refusing to send their children to govt-run schools," & began serving their sentence on April 19, 2019.
Ayda was released on March 28, 2020, but her husband Jesús remains jailed. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
Roberto de Jesús Quiñones isn't alone, there are 5 other prisoners of conscience recognized by @Amnesty: Josiel Guía, Silverio Portal, Mitzael Paseiro, Eliecer Bandera, & Edilberto Ronal, over 127 political prisoners & over 8K Cubans charged w "pre-criminal social dangerousness."
With the threat of the SARS-CoV-2 it becomes an urgent necessity to obtain their freedom to save their lives. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
Below is the text of an email sent by the Center to human rights organizations urging that they redouble their efforts to obtain the freedom of Cuba's political prisoners. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
Amnesty International has called on Egyptian authorities to release political prisoners due to the threat of COVID-19, they and others should make the same demand of the Castro regime. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
Center for a Free Cuba, April 3, 2020
Letter sent to Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the UNHRC's Working Group on Arbitrary detention this afternoon. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
Letter sent to Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the UNHRC's Working Group on Arbitrary detention this afternoon. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
Dear friends,
I am writing to thank you for your efforts during the last six months to obtain the release of 4 Cuban political prisoners: of José Daniel Ferrer García, José Pupo Chaveco, Fernando González Vaillant and Evert Luis Hidalgo of the Patriotic Union of Cuba UNPACU.
I am writing to thank you for your efforts during the last six months to obtain the release of 4 Cuban political prisoners: of José Daniel Ferrer García, José Pupo Chaveco, Fernando González Vaillant and Evert Luis Hidalgo of the Patriotic Union of Cuba UNPACU.
All of them were arbitrarily detained, charged with false accusations, denied their basic rights and subjected to a political show trial that ran afoul of international standards for a fair trial. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
The European Union and Amnesty International were not permitted to attend the “public” trial. The courthouse was surrounded by police to intimidate the accused, their families and anyone concerned about their mistreatment. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
The Court denied them most basic procedural safeguards, they were seriously mistreated while in prison. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
The sentencing was scheduled for March 12, 2020, but in violation of Cuban statutes they were not sentenced until today to house arrest. The Center was able to confirm that Jose Daniel was sentenced to four and half years under house arrest. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
Govt offered not to prosecute Ferrer in exchange for him leaving Cuba. We are writing to urge you to do everything possible to obtain their release from house arrest. Human rights organizations around the world joined Amnesty’s appeal for their release. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
We're also urging you to redouble efforts to obtain the release of current prisoners of conscience Josiel Guía Piloto, Silverio Portal Contreras, Mitzael Díaz Paseiro, Eliecer Bandera Barrera, Edilberto Ronal Arzuaga Alcalá, & Roberto de Jesús Quiñones. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
With the threat of the SARS-CoV-2 virus their freedom and the freedom of 127 other Cuban political prisoners, and over 8,000 Cubans charged with "pre-criminal social dangerousness" becomes an urgent necessity to save lives. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
Cuba and the European Union are negotiating a number of political and economic issues. Their release and the release of all Cuban political prisoners should be a requisite for the negotiations to continue. https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
After more than sixty years in power, diplomacy as usual is not likely to succeed.
Respectfully,
John Suarez
Executive Director
Center for a Free Cuba
http://www.cubacenter.org https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
Respectfully,
John Suarez
Executive Director
Center for a Free Cuba
http://www.cubacenter.org https://www.cubacenter.org/archives/2020/4/3/cubabrief-4-cuban-political-prisoners-sentenced-to-house-arrest-hundreds-remain-unjustly-jailed-in-cuba-center-calls-on-human-rights-orgs-to-push-for-their-freedom
