[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 728 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 728

 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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 28, 2022

Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Cruz, and Mr. Braun) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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 Senate--
            (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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