[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 469 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 469

   Condemning the April 25, 2006, beating and intimidation of Cuban 
                    dissident Martha Beatriz Roque.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 8, 2006

 Mr. Lieberman (for himself, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. 
Menendez, Mr. Ensign, Mr. McCain, Mr. Biden, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Salazar, Mr. 
   Frist, Mr. Durbin, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. 
Sununu, Mr. Allard, and Mr. Graham) submitted the following resolution; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

                              May 23, 2006

                Reported by Mr. Lugar, without amendment

                              May 25, 2006

                        Considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Condemning the April 25, 2006, beating and intimidation of Cuban 
                    dissident Martha Beatriz Roque.

Whereas the 47-year communist dictatorship of Fidel Castro in Cuba received the 
        lowest rating from Freedom House in its ``Freedom in the World 2005'' 
        report for political rights and civil liberties, and is categorized by 
        that organization as ``repressive'' and having ``virtually no freedom'';
Whereas Human Rights Watch describes Cuba in its ``World Report 2006'' as ``an 
        undemocratic government that represses nearly all forms of political 
        dissent'';
Whereas human rights observers have documented that the regime in Cuba attempts 
        to intimidate human rights dissidents and their families through ``acts 
        of repudiation,'' consisting of mobs of regime supporters screaming 
        threats and insults;
Whereas, on April 25, 2006, an act of repudiation against Martha Beatriz Roque 
        became violent when she was punched, knocked down, and dragged outside 
        her home in Havana while she was leaving to attend a meeting with 
        Michael E. Parmly, the Chief of Mission-Designate for the United States 
        Interests Section in Havana, Cuba;
Whereas Martha Beatriz Roque is a citizen of Cuba and leader of the Assembly to 
        Promote Civil Society in Cuba, a coalition of 365 independent civil 
        society groups within Cuba;
Whereas, in March 2003, the regime of Fidel Castro imprisoned dozens of Cuban 
        dissidents including Martha Beatriz Roque for their activities 
        supporting freedom and democracy; and
Whereas Martha Beatriz Roque was released in 2005 for health reasons without a 
        pardon or a commutation of her sentence: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the brutality of the regime of Fidel Castro 
        toward Martha Beatriz Roque, a 61-year-old woman in frail 
        health;
            (2) demands the regime of Cuba allow the people of Cuba to 
        exercise their fundamental human rights, rather than responding 
        to calls for freedom with imprisonment and intimidation;
            (3) commends the courage and perseverance of Martha Beatriz 
        Roque and all dissidents in Cuba;
            (4) calls on the regime of Cuba to release the hundreds of 
        political prisoners still held today and to stop the 
        intimidation of dissidents and their families; and
            (5) calls for continued international support and 
        solidarity with pro-democracy leaders in Cuba.
                                 <all>