[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 199 (Thursday, December 12, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7031-S7032]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 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

  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:

                              S. Res. 454

       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

[[Page S7032]]

     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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