| Ramón Colás.............. (2002) |
I, Ramón Colás, was forced to leave Cuba two weeks ago because I was a victim of the regime.
My wife and I founded in Cuba a project of free libraries. The government attacked my family. I was evicted from my home and sent to a military labor camp.
Hundreds of books destined for the independent libraries that operate out of Cuban homes are constantly confiscated by the political police, because the government sets conditions for reading. nCuban and foreign authors are censored because they do not sympathize with the regime. The writer Raul Rivero* is neither allowed to travel abroad, nor to publish in the country. At this moment, Juan Carlos González and Leonardo Bruzón, two independent librarians are in jail, waiting for a judicial process for the crime of promoting free thought.
On December 25, 2001, mobs of government agents and political police physically attacked the participants of the inauguration of the independent library “Enmanuel” in Camagüey, stopping the activity and confiscating all the books.”
Excerpt of testimony given in the 58th Session of the UN Commission of Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland, April 2002
Translated by Margarita García
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* Raúl Rivero was sentenced to 20 years in jail in April, 2003
| Independent Librarians convicted to prison sentences in April, 2003 |
|
NAME
|
SENTENCE |
LIBRARY NAME
|
LOCATION |
| Víctor Rolando Arroyo | 26 years | Reyes Magos Library | Pinar del Río |
| Ivan Hernández Carrillo | 25 years | Juan Gualberto Gómez Library II | Matanzas |
| José Luis García Paneque | 20 years | Carlos J. Finlay Library | Las Tunas |
| Ricardo González | 20 years | Jorge Mañach Library | Havana |
| Roberto de Miranda | 20 years | Father Félix Varela Library | Havana |
| Miguel Sigler Amalla | 26 months | General Pedro Betancourt Library | Matanzas |
| Blás Giraldo Reyes | 25 years | 20th of May Library | Sancti Spiritus |
| Omar Pernet Hernández | 25 years | 20th of May Library II | Villa Clara |
| Raúl Rivero | 20 years | Dulce María Loynaz Library Branch II | Havana |
| José Miguel Martinez Hernández | 13 years | General Juan Bruno Zayas Library | Havana Province |