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108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 563

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the one-
        year anniversary of the human rights crackdown in Cuba.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 16, 2004

Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. 
Menendez, and Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the one-
        year anniversary of the human rights crackdown in Cuba.

Whereas in March 2003, Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro, arrested more than 75 
        journalists, labor union organizers, civic leaders, and human rights 
        activists as political prisoners;
Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guides global human 
        rights policy, asserts that all human beings are born free and live in 
        dignity with rights;
Whereas the Castro regime sentenced these innocent men and women to a total of 
        more than 1,000 years in prison, many of whom are anticipated to die in 
        prison before their sentence is completed;
Whereas these arrests were an atrocious attempt by the Castro regime to crush 
        the citizens' movement for a free and democratic Cuba;
Whereas the internal opposition in Cuba is working intensely and valiantly to 
        draw international attention to Cuba's deplorable human rights situation 
        and continues to strengthen and grow in its opposition to the Government 
        of Cuba;
Whereas Amnesty International has recognized all 75 journalists and activists 
        arrested in the crackdown on March 18, 2003, in Cuba as prisoners of 
        conscience;
Whereas Reporters Without Borders has called Cuba the world's biggest prison for 
        journalists;
Whereas the Government of Cuba engages in torture and other cruel, inhumane, and 
        degrading treatment and punishment against political prisoners to force 
        them into submission, including the use of electroshock, intense 
        beatings, and extended periods of solitary confinement without nutrition 
        or medical attention;
Whereas religious freedom in Cuba is severely circumscribed and clergy and lay 
        people suffer sustained persecution by the Cuban State Security 
        apparatus;
Whereas the Government of Cuba denies the people of Cuba equal protection under 
        the law, enforcing a judicial system which infringes upon fundamental 
        rights while denying recourse against the violation of human rights and 
        civil liberties; and
Whereas the United States Congress has stood, consistently, on the side of the 
        Cuban people and supported their right to be free: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns in the strongest possible terms the repressive 
        crackdown by the Government of Cuba against the brave internal 
        opposition and the independent press;
            (2) expresses its profound admiration and firm solidarity 
        with the internal opposition and independent press of Cuba;
            (3) demands that the Government of Cuba release all 
        political prisoners, legalize all political parties, labor 
        unions, and the press, and hold free and fair elections;
            (4) declares the acts of the Castro regime, including its 
        widespread and systematic violation of human rights, to be in 
        violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the 
        Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
            (5) declares that the rule of law for the Cuban people 
        should guarantee each and every fundamental and inalienable 
        right; and
            (6) calls for the passage of a resolution at the 60th 
        session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights that 
        holds the Government of Cuba accountable for its gross 
        violations of human rights and civil liberties.
                                 <all>

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