Arrest of Jose Daniel Ferrer
Dr. Ortega Tamayo gives an account about today’s arbitrary arrest of José Daniel Ferrer Garcia. As reported by the Fundación Panamericana para la Democracia, José Daniel Ferrer García was arrested once again by orders of a State Security thug by the name of Alexis Atie (Agdriel). This individual has been identified by members of the opposition as one of the most criminal elements of the State Security apparatus in Santiago de Cuba. The arrest seemed to have been provoked when Adgriel uttered insults Ferrer, who replied vigorously. The verbal exchange ended in Ferrer´s arrest.
From March 15 to April 9 José Daniel Ferrer the Patriotic Union of Cuba was under a police cordon that prevented the organization from carrying out its humanitarian mission to offer food and medications to a group of about 250 people living in extreme poverty. In protest for the irrational repression, Ferrer and a group of activists staged a hunger strike that lasted 21 days, from March 20 to April 9. The hunger strike ended when the cordon was temporarily lifted. Since April 12 however the police cordon around the main UNPACU headquarters has once again being imposed.
A BLACK SPRING IN CUBA UNDER A NEW DISGUISE
Democratic Spaces alerts the Canadian government and the international community about a Black Spring in Cuba under a new disguise. This time in contrast to 2003 there have not been cases brought to court or long prison sentences but a string of endless short term, politically motivated arrests combined with a host of other repressive actions. Since April 15, more than 78 repressive actions have been reported in Cuba by NGO´s monitoring human rights violations in the island. These actions have also included forced house arrests, police besieges, confiscation and destruction of artworks, internet cuts, beatings, acts of repudiation, character assassinations and fabrication of judicial cases.
