Cuba: Information on an organization called "Youth for Democracy" that monitors human rights violations against university students and teachers, 1990 to present
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 October 1997 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | CUB27989.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Cuba: Information on an organization called "Youth for Democracy" that monitors human rights violations against university students and teachers, 1990 to present, 1 October 1997, CUB27989.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac9c10.html [accessed 3 November 2019] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Country Reports 1996 and the Amnesty International report Cuba: Dissidents Imprisoned or Forced into Exile state that Young People for Democracy (Jóvenes por la Democracia) activists Nestor Rodríguez Lobaina and Radames García de la Vega were arrested by police on 6 June 1996 (1997, 418; July 1996, 2). Both sources state that Young People for Democracy, a group that works for university reform, is a member of Concilio Cubano, a coalition of unofficial political, social and human rights groups in Cuba (1997, 417; ibid). Rodríguez and García were charged with resisting and disobeying authority, and were subsequently sentenced to 6 to 12 months of restricted movement and five years of internal confinement in their own province, and were required to report periodically to local police (1997, 418; ibid.).
Please consult Country Reports 1996 and the Amnesty International report, available in all Regional Documentation Centres, for additional information on the Rodríguez and García case.
The attached 1 May 1997 CubaNet report states that García, Young People for Democracy's vice-president, was rearrested on 30 April 1997 and held incommunicado in Palma Soriano. The same report states that García would be tried for "contempt to the person of the Commander in Chief " (Fidel Castro) (ibid.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Amnesty International. July 1996. Cuba: Dissidents Imprisoned or Forced into Exile. (AI Index: AMR 25/29/96). London: Amnesty International.
CubaNet [Havana]. 1 May 1997. Monike de Motas. "Call Goes Out for International Solidarity with Young Cuban Democrat." [Internet] [Accessed 9 Oct. 1997]
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1996. 1997. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.
Attachment
CubaNet [Havana]. 1 May 1997. Monike de Motas. "Call Goes Out for International Solidarity with Young Cuban Democrat." [Internet] [Accessed 9 Oct. 1997]
Additional Sources Consulted
Amnesty International Report. 1994-1997.
Amnesty International. April 1996. Government Crackdown on Dissidents.
_____. December 1992. Cuba: Silencing the Voices of Dissent.
Human Rights Watch World Report. 1996-1997.
INS Resource Center. June 1995. Information Packet Series: Human Rights in Cuba.
Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1990-1997.
Latin American Weekly Report [London]. 1996-1997.
News from Americas Watch [New York]. 1990-1997.
Electronic sources: IRB Databases, Global News Bank, NEXIS/LEXIS, REFWORLD (UNHCR database), World News Connection (WNC).
