HAVANA — Cuban opposition group Archipelago on Tuesday hit out at the
government's "repression" of a planned protest and called on its
supporters to keep demonstrating for another 10 days.
اضافة اعلان
A planned protest on Monday was thwarted as opposition leaders were detained
and security forces flooded the streets to prevent people from gathering.
Archipelago blasted "the extreme militarization of the streets, more
than 100 activists besieged, arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances,
repudiation, violence, threats, coercion, and hate speech" in a statement
sent to AFP.
"The resurgence of repression against citizens and peaceful protesters
is not and will not be accepted," said Archipelago.
The group, which has 30,000 members inside and outside Cuba, called on
protesters to continue their struggle by wearing white, carrying white roses,
creating personal videos, and banging pots and pans at night, until November
27.
That was the date last year on which more than 300 young artists staged a
protest outside the culture ministry demanding freedom of expression.
Amongst those detained Monday were opposition figure Manuel Cuesta Morua,
58; the leader of the Ladies in White rights movement Berta Soler; and her
husband Angel Moya, a former political prisoner.
Another government critic, Guillermo Farinas, has been detained since
Friday, and numerous protest organizers and independent journalists were
reportedly confined to their homes by the security forces Monday, with their
internet cut.
Archipelago's founder, playwright Yunior Garcia, 39, is in police custody
after he was prevented from embarking on a one-man weekend protest.
As of Tuesday, reporters have been unable to contact him and he has not
posted on social media.
Archipelago has vowed to continue its struggle to "free all political
prisoners" and to defend freedom of speech and the right to assemble.
The opposition group planned Monday's protest after being galvanized by
unprecedented country-wide spontaneous demonstrations that broke out in July.
Those were fueled by growing anger at economic hardship and demands for
"freedom," but a crackdown by security forces left one person dead,
dozens injured and 1,270 arrested in a country where displays of public
discontent are rare and risky.
More than 650 are still in jail, according to rights group Cubalex.
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