Cuban government agents assault prominent dissident

Havana, Cuba, Apr 26, 2006 / 22:00 pm

The leader of the internationsl Christian Life Movement, Oswald Paya Sardiñas, has issued a statement revealing that Cuban government agents severely assaulted Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello, one of Cuba’s most prominent dissident leaders.

In his statement, Paya explains that similar acts “have been repeated against defenseless women and families and are true operations of the State Security in collaboration with other repressive groups and unscrupulous persons.”

“The assault against Martha Beatriz Roque was particularly savage and full of cowardice,” Paya continued.  “This is an assault against all of the peaceful opposition in Cuba, but also against all citizens.  It’s a Fascist-Communist style assault that goes beyond all limits of evil.  Likewise, it reflects a sense of impunity, and also indicates a serious danger for the Cuban society.”

Paya said that assaults of this kind against those who peacefully oppose the Communist regime would only lead to greater solidarity, “because we defend the rights of all Cubans, and that is only reason why they are attacking the peaceful opposition.”

The leader of the Christian Life Movement called on the “international community, on people of decency and of good will around the world” to “condemn this abusive and cruel act against a woman.”

Roque Cabello was one of dozens of dissidents arrested and imprisoned in 2003.  Despite her sentence of 20 years, she was released in July of 2004 for health reasons.