[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 454 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 454

  Calling for the immediate release of Cuban democracy activist Jose 
   Daniel Ferrer and commending the efforts of Jose Daniel Ferrer to 
         promote human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 12, 2019

Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Cardin, 
 Ms. Collins, and Mr. Kaine) submitted the following resolution; which 
           was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Calling for the immediate release of Cuban democracy activist Jose 
   Daniel Ferrer and commending the efforts of Jose Daniel Ferrer to 
         promote human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba.

Whereas Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia is a Cuban democracy and human rights activist 
        who has dedicated his life to promoting greater political pluralism and 
        respect for fundamental freedoms in Cuba;
Whereas Mr. Ferrer was born in Cuba on July 29, 1970, in the province of 
        Santiago de Cuba;
Whereas, in the late 1990s, Mr. Ferrer joined the Christian Liberation Movement 
        (MCL), a peaceful political movement led by late Cuban activist Oswaldo 
        Paya;
Whereas, through coordination with the MCL, Mr. Ferrer helped lead the Varela 
        Project, an initiative to collect the signatures of citizens to petition 
        the Government of Cuba for democratic reforms and protections for 
        freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly;
Whereas, in March 2003, as part of a series of sweeping arrests of 75 democracy 
        activists, Mr. Ferrer was arrested by Cuban authorities for his work on 
        the Varela Project and sentenced to 25 years in prison;
Whereas, in March 2004, Amnesty International declared the group of 75 democracy 
        activists, including Mr. Ferrer, to be prisoners of conscience and 
        called for their immediate and unconditional release; 
Whereas, in 2009, Mr. Ferrer was honored with the Democracy Award given annually 
        by the National Endowment for Democracy;
Whereas, in March 2011, as part of an agreement brokered by the Catholic Church, 
        Mr. Ferrer refused to abandon his homeland and was released from prison 
        to remain in Cuba;
Whereas, in August 2011, Mr. Ferrer founded the Patriotic Union of Cuba 
        (UNPACU), a nonviolent political movement dedicated to promoting human 
        rights, democratic principles, and fundamental freedoms in Cuba;
Whereas, on June 7, 2012, Mr. Ferrer testified via digital video conference at a 
        hearing of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
Whereas, since he was released from jail in March 2011, Mr. Ferrer has been 
        frequently harassed, regularly surveilled, and repeatedly jailed by 
        Cuban authorities for his role in UNPACU; 
Whereas, on October 1, 2019, Mr. Ferrer was imprisoned arbitrarily by Cuban 
        authorities for his leadership of UNPACU and outspoken advocacy for 
        human rights and democratic principles in Cuba;
Whereas, on October 1, 2019, Cuban authorities detained 3 other members of 
        UNPACU, Fernando Gonzalez Vailant, Jose Pupo Chaveco, and Roilan Zarraga 
        Ferrer;
Whereas a letter from Mr. Ferrer was smuggled out of prison stating that he had 
        been tortured, mistreated, and denied proper medical attention, and that 
        his life was put in danger while in detention;
Whereas the family of Mr. Ferrer has been permitted to visit him only twice 
        since he was imprisoned arbitrarily on October 1, 2019, and the wife of 
        Mr. Ferrer reported that she saw evidence that he had been physically 
        abused and mistreated; and
Whereas, on November 28, 2019, the European Parliament approved a resolution 
        condemning the arbitrary detention of Mr. Ferrer and calling for his 
        immediate release: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the arbitrary imprisonment of leading Cuban 
        democracy and human rights activist Jose Daniel Ferrer and 
        calls for his immediate and unconditional release;
            (2) urges Cuban authorities to grant Mr. Ferrer immediate 
        access to medical care and independent legal counsel;
            (3) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of 
        all members of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) that have 
        been arbitrarily imprisoned;
            (4) commends Mr. Ferrer for his unwavering commitment to 
        advance democratic principles, human rights, and fundamental 
        freedoms in Cuba; and
            (5) recognizes the important contributions of UNPACU and 
        all of its members for their efforts to promote greater respect 
        for democratic principles, human rights, and fundamental 
        freedoms in Cuba.
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