[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 126 (Thursday, July 28, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3786-S3787]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 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

  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:

                              S. Res. 728

       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;

[[Page S3787]]

       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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