Raul Castro’s government using paramilitary groups disguised as “upset Cubans workers responding to mercenaries” has increased both aggression and violence levels against peaceful activists. We think it is the result of different peaceful groups exercising their right to protests in public, as well as their rights to talk in public, talking about Cuban political prisoners.

Activists in Cuba are now routinely being subjected to and having to endure:
1 Mob attacks and beatings
2 Physical abuse
3 Mob style stabbings
4 Various types of torture
5 to express kidnappings (short,aggressive and awe ordeals, where one is left in the middle of nowhere)
6 Arbitrary arrests.

With the number of all of the aforementioned skyrocketing. All of these are well documented by internationally recognized monitors as as AI (Amnesty International)

The Forum for Rights and Freedoms and Civil Rights Defenders warns the international community on the deteriorating situation of Cubans who dare work in the field of Human Rights. With grave concern we annotate that we have noticed indifference on the part of the international community, most notably, the United States and some European Union nations, as well as the Vatican. It is now common knowledge, the latter played a critical role in facilitating the talks between the Cuban government and the present U.S. administration, which later paved the way resulting in the agreement made public on December 17th, 2014. We believe the current escalation of aggression on the part of the Cuban government against our family members, friends, even our children is directly linked to the silence and indifference of the international community.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights – of which Cuba is signatory – The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – of which the government of Raul Castro signed but has yet to ratify– and as the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association Maina Kiai put it in a recent writing, governments shall ensure the full exercise of freedom of assembly, association and peaceful demonstration.

The Forum for Rights and Freedoms and Civil Rights Defenders calls on the international community to act NOW against the dangers that Cuban human rights defenders are facing. It is time for the American and European governments, usually eager to improve their relations with the Cuban government, to use their leverage speaking out against the worsening of what is is already a challenging life.

Antonio G. Rodiles, Coordinating Committee, Forum for Rights and Freedoms

Erik Jennische, Programme Director for Latin America, CivilRightsDefenders

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Alarming Repression against “The Ladies In White”