CUBAN DICTATORSHIP HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ASSASSINATION OF OSWALDO PAYÁ AND HAROLD CEPERO

Democratic Spaces applauds the decision of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to hold the Cuban dictatorship accountable for the brutal killings of Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero, pro-democracy leaders.

Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas will forever be remembered as a true champion of freedom and human rights in Cuba. His visionary initiative, the Varela Project, aimed to empower the Cuban people by collecting signatures to guarantee respect for human rights and liberties. Harold was one of his most active followers and an emerging leader within the Christian Liberation Movement worked tirelessly to promote the Varela Project.

The assassination of Oswaldo Payá exposes the ruthless nature of Cuba's dictatorship. According to Carl Gershman, former president of the National Endowment for Democracy who personally knew Oswaldo, Cuba's regime surpasses the Soviet Union, apartheid South Africa, and the Polish communist regime in its criminal nature. The killing of Payá is akin to the murder of Andrei Sakharov, Lech Wałęsa, and Nelson Mandela.

This landmark decision by the IACHR serves as a powerful reminder of the pivotal role organizations like Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights play in advancing justice and defending the rights of the oppressed. Their unwavering advocacy empowers the voiceless and instills hope in those fighting for freedom. We stand firmly in solidarity with Rosa María Payá, her family, and all the victims of repression in Cuba. It is crucial for the world to recognize that in Cuba, victims of state terror and atrocity crimes committed by the Interior Ministry are denied the right to seek justice, as members of the ministry enjoy impunity for their gross human rights violations and atrocities.

As stated in the report, the Cuban regime bears direct responsibility for the assassination of both leaders. Payá had been a target of numerous assassination attempts, and on one occasion, he and his wife, Ofelia Acevedo, survived a collision caused by state security forces. By 2012, Oswaldo had faced numerous death threats from the Cuban regime.

On the fateful day of July 22, 2012, two vehicles with official Cuban government license plates trailed them as they left Havana, heading towards the eastern provinces. They were intentionally rammed by the same car, causing the fatal accident. Subsequently, the regime manipulated evidence, forced Angel Carromero to provide a false statement, withheld the autopsy results from the family, and even coerced Payá's family into signing a statement implicating Angel Carromero.

The Cuban dictatorship denied the family their right to due process and systematically violated their rights. In the absence of access to justice, human rights organizations like the Inter-American Commission took up the case.

Recognizing the lack of access to justice for victims of repression in Cuba, Democratic Spaces and Cubadecide formally petitioned Global Affairs Canada in November 2022 to include immediate subordinates in the regime's repressive hierarchy within the Interior Ministry and Armed Forces on the Magnitsky sanctions list in Canada.

The fight for justice and freedom in Cuba requires international attention and action. We must continue to support the victims, amplify their voices, and hold the Cuban regime accountable for its crimes. The decision of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is a crucial step forward, but there is still much work to be done. The perpetrators of repression in Cuba must face justice in a democratic Cuba and pay for their crimes. Together, let us stand united in the pursuit of justice, human rights, and the ultimate triumph of freedom in Cuba.