Human rights activists in Cuba say political arrests are up

Human rights activists in Cuba say political arrests are up
Monday, Mar. 12, 2012
By JUAN O. TAMAYO - McClatchy Newspapers

MIAMI - At least 604 Cubans were subjected to "arbitrary arrests for
political motives" in February, the third month in a row that short-term
detentions hit nearly twice the average for all of last year, according
to a report Monday.

The report also noted an increase in the detentions of members of Ladies
in White, a group of female relatives of political prisoners, and the
arrests of six Protestant pastors accused of trying to preach in public
places.

The increase since December in such of detentions was the result of the
growing criticism of the Raul Castro government's policies, said
Elizardo Sanchez Santa Cruz, head of the Cuban Commission for Human
Rights and National Reconciliation.

"There's a visible increase in the political repression, as the
government's reply to the increase in the complaints against the
government," Sanchez Santa Cruz said of his commission's report for
February, issued Monday. "The government's only reply to anything is
repression."

Such arrests, usually for a few hours or days and intended to harass
activists or keep them from taking part in dissident activities, have
been climbing steadily since Castro succeeded his ailing brother Fidel
in 2006.

They averaged 147 a month in 2010 and more than doubled in 2011, to an
average of 343 a month, according to the commission's report. They
spiked even higher at the end of last year, with 796 reported in December.

The report noted but did not quantify an increase in the repression
against the Ladies in White, "who were the target of numerous acts of
violence and scurrilous attacks, including some cases in which they were
forced to take off their clothes or were groped by police agents."

The government also freed four political prisoners in February,
including one who served all of the legally required part of his 20-year
sentence and three who were granted parole, according to the report.

Protestant pastors Cesar Serrano Palacio, Maria Elisa Acosta Pena, Juan
Marrero Vaillant, and Roberto Benitez were detained for several hours
Feb. 25 in the eastern city of Bayamo because they were "carrying out
religious work in a public place," the report noted.

Rolando Arias Casanova and Ariel Delgado Gomez were detained and fined
Feb. 14 in the eastern province of Ciego de Avila on a charge of
creating a public disturbance by "preaching on the streets," it added.

The Cuban government has strict controls on the construction of new
churches, and many pastors preach at private homes.

Sanchez Santa Cruz said there have been fewer detentions this month,
apparently because of Pope Benedict XVI's planned visit to Cuba from
March 26 to 28.

"It's like they are sweeping the repression under the rug," Sanchez
Santa Cruz said by phone from his home in Havana. "And after the pope
leaves we will see the same or even higher levels of political repression."

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/03/12/2433798/human-rights-activists-in-cuba.html