[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1304 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1304
Commending the bravery, courage, and resolve of the human rights and
pro-democracy activists in Cuba one year after the historic march led
by such activists through the streets of Cuba to exercise the
fundamental right to peacefully assemble and speak out against the
human rights atrocities committed by the brutal, totalitarian, and
illegitimate Communist regime in Cuba.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 29, 2022
Mr. Diaz-Balart (for himself, Mr. Crawford, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Gimenez,
and Mr. McCaul) submitted the following resolution; which was referred
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Commending the bravery, courage, and resolve of the human rights and
pro-democracy activists in Cuba one year after the historic march led
by such activists through the streets of Cuba to exercise the
fundamental right to peacefully assemble and speak out against the
human rights atrocities committed by the brutal, totalitarian, and
illegitimate Communist regime in Cuba.
Whereas July 11, 2022, marked 1 year since the largest anti-government
demonstration in Cuba when thousands of brave protestors took to the
streets in more than 40 cities to peacefully demand access to
fundamental freedoms and civil liberties and call for an end to
communism, censorship, and the oppressive leadership of the Communist
regime in Cuba;
Whereas the regime, in an attempt to silence the Cuban people, responded to the
demonstration with a wave of terror, repression, and criminalization and
detained and persecuted more than 1,400 protestors;
Whereas more than 700 of such protestors, including children, remain unjustly
imprisoned and are subjected to torture and inhumane living conditions,
with many of such protestors having been sentenced to decades-long
prison sentences;
Whereas the ongoing imprisonment of Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia, a Cuban human
rights and democracy activist who has worked tirelessly to advocate for
fundamental civil liberties for the Cuban people, is representative of
the tactics of the brutal and despotic regime;
Whereas Garcia was among the hundreds of protestors who were unlawfully
detained, were denied due process, and received unfair trials conducted
by secret tribunals;
Whereas, according to a statement by the family of Garcia in January 2022,
Garcia was subjected to months of solitary confinement, physical and
psychological torture, and inhumane treatment from Cuban operatives,
resulting in dire health conditions;
Whereas Garcia has suffered from severe headaches, mouth bleeding, malnutrition,
bouts of coughing, and the inability to sleep;
Whereas, more than 1 year into the unjust imprisonment of Garcia by the
Communist regime in Cuba, Garcia continues to be subjected to brutal,
torturous, and inhumane conditions by the regime, including isolation
and confinement to a small-walled cell with no access to natural light,
denial of physical or verbal contact with family for months at a time,
and denial of daily contact with other individuals;
Whereas, according to the family of Garcia, Garcia is now suffering from
breathing problems and vision loss and shows bodily signs of ongoing
torture;
Whereas the deteriorating and dire health conditions of Garcia are directly
attributable to the cruel and inhumane conditions to which the regime
has subjected Garcia, solely for engaging in peaceful demonstrations and
calling for freedom and democracy for the people of Cuba;
Whereas hundreds of pro-democracy activists have been imprisoned solely for
peacefully exercising their God-given right to freedom of expression,
including--
(1) Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara and Maykel ``Osorbo'' Castillo of the
San Isidro Movement;
(2) Jose Diaz Silva of the Opposition Movement for a New Republic;
(3) Arianna Lopez Roque of the Julio Machado Academy;
(4) Emiyosian Roman Rodriguez, a 17-year-old who shouted ``Patria y
Vida'' and was sent to a forced labor camp for 5 years;
(5) Duannis Dabel Leon Taboada, a 22-year-old barber who was sentenced
to 14 years; and
(6) young women such as Lisandra Gongora Espinosa and the Garrido
sisters, Loreto Hernandez and Donaida Perez;
Whereas the illegitimate Communist regime in Cuba--
(1) is terrified of brave and courageous leaders who stand resolute in
speaking out against the crimes against humanity committed by the regime;
and
(2) will persecute, kidnap, torture, and eventually kill anyone who
stands up against the tyranny of the regime; and
Whereas, by working together, freedom-loving nations can help bring positive
change and democracy to the people of Cuba: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) commends the bravery, courage, and resolve of the pro-
democracy movement and all freedom activists in Cuba for
risking everything to bring freedom to the Cuban people;
(2) condemns the repression of the hundreds of pro-
democracy activists and political prisoners, including
children, that the Cuban regime is unjustly detaining and
subjecting to physical and psychological torture, and calls for
the immediate and unconditional release of such prisoners;
(3) condemns the brutal torture and inhumane treatment of
Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia by the Cuban regime, and calls for an
immediate humanitarian medical visit to Garcia and all
political prisoners who have been unjustly and illegally
detained since July 11, 2021;
(4) condemns the brutal totalitarian Communist dictatorship
in Cuba, and demands an end to the suffering of the Cuban
people and the impunity of the human rights abusers of the
regime;
(5) calls for the international community to stand with the
Cuban people and speak out against the totalitarian Communist
regime in Cuba for infringing on the freedom of thought, will,
expression, assembly, and prosperity of the Cuban people; and
(6) urges the President to firmly declare that the United
States Government will not consider any more concessions or
sanctions relief to the brutal, illegitimate Communist regime
in Cuba until all conditions for removing sanctions are met in
accordance with the laws of the United States.
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