[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 97 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 97

   Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the arrests of Cuban 
              democracy activists by the Cuban Government.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 25, 2003

  Mr. Nelson of Florida (for himself, Mr. Allen, Mr. Edwards, and Mr. 
 McCain) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

                             April 7, 2003

        Committee discharged; considered, amended, and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the arrests of Cuban 
              democracy activists by the Cuban Government.

Whereas on March 18, 2003, Fidel Castro and the Government of Cuba began an 
        islandwide campaign to arrest and jail dozens of prominent democracy 
        activists and critics of the repressive regime;
Whereas since March 18, 2003, the Cuban police have arrested approximately 80 
        Cubans for engaging in free speech under Law 88, the Law for the 
        Protection of National Independence and the Economy of Cuba, which is a 
        notorious law passed 3 years ago by the communist county;
Whereas the imprisoned political opponents of Castro include librarians, 
        journalists, and others who have supported the Varela Project, which 
        seeks to bring free speech, open elections, and democracy to the island 
        nation;
Whereas during this crackdown, widely recognized as the most severe in some 
        time, Fidel Castro is inhumanely pursuing the harshest punishments for 
        these political prisoners, including pursuing life sentences for as many 
        as 12; and
Whereas the failure to condemn the Cuban Government's renewed political 
        repression of democracy activists will undermine the opportunity for 
        freedom on the Island: Now therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the recent arrests and other intimidation 
        tactics against democracy activists by the Castro regime;
            (2) calls on the Cuban Government to immediately release 
        those imprisoned and held during this most recent crackdown for 
        activities the government wrongly deems ``subversive, counter-
        revolutionary, and provocative'';
            (3) reaffirms Senate Resolution 272, 107th Congress, agreed 
        to June 10, 2002, which was agreed to without opposition and 
        which called for, among other things, amnesty for all political 
        prisoners;
            (4) 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; 
        and
            (5) urges the President to demand the immediate release of 
        these prisoners and to take all appropriate steps to secure 
        their immediate release.
                                 <all>