III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 728 

Commending the bravery, courage, and resolve of the human rights and 

pro-democracy activists in Cuba one year after the historic march led 

by such activists through the streets of Cuba to exercise the fundamental 

right to peacefully assemble and speak out against the human rights 

atrocities committed by the brutal, totalitarian, and illegitimate Communist regime in Cuba. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 28, 2022 

Mr. SCOTT of Florida (for himself, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. CRUZ, and Mr. BRAUN) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Commending the bravery, courage, and resolve of the human 

rights and pro-democracy activists in Cuba one year after 

the historic march led by such activists through the 

streets of Cuba to exercise the fundamental right to 

peacefully assemble and speak out against the human 

rights atrocities committed by the brutal, totalitarian, 

and illegitimate Communist regime in Cuba. 

Whereas July 11, 2022, marked 1 year since the largest antigovernment demonstration in Cuba when thousands of 

brave protestors took to the streets in more than 40 cities to peacefully demand access to fundamental freedoms 

and civil liberties and call for an end to communism, cenVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:14 Jul 29, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR728.IS SR728

pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•SRES 728 IS 

sorship, and the oppressive leadership of the Communist 

regime in Cuba; 

Whereas the regime, in an attempt to silence the Cuban people, responded to the demonstration with a wave of terror, repression, and criminalization and detained and persecuted more than 1,400 protestors; 

Whereas more than 700 of such protestors, including children, remain unjustly imprisoned and are subjected to 

torture and inhumane living conditions, with many of 

such protestors having been sentenced to decades-long 

prison sentences; 

Whereas the ongoing imprisonment of Jose Daniel Ferrer 

Garcia, a Cuban human rights and democracy activist 

who has worked tirelessly to advocate for fundamental 

civil liberties for the Cuban people, is representative of 

the tactics of the brutal and despotic regime; 

Whereas Garcia was among the hundreds of protestors who 

were unlawfully detained, were denied due process, and 

received unfair trials conducted by secret tribunals; 

Whereas, according to a statement by the family of Garcia 

in January 2022, Garcia was subjected to months of solitary confinement, physical and psychological torture, and 

inhumane treatment from Cuban operatives, resulting in 

dire health conditions; 

Whereas Garcia has suffered from severe headaches, mouth 

bleeding, malnutrition, bouts of coughing, and the inability to sleep; 

Whereas, more than 1 year into the unjust imprisonment of 

Garcia by the Communist regime in Cuba, Garcia continues to be subjected to brutal, torturous, and inhumane 

conditions by the regime, including isolation and confineVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:14 Jul 29, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR728.IS SR728

pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•SRES 728 IS 

ment to a small-walled cell with no access to natural 

light, denial of physical or verbal contact with family for 

months at a time, and denial of daily contact with other 

individuals; 

Whereas, according to the family of Garcia, Garcia is now 

suffering from breathing problems and vision loss and 

shows bodily signs of ongoing torture; 

Whereas the deteriorating and dire health conditions of Garcia are directly attributable to the cruel and inhumane 

conditions to which the regime has subjected Garcia, solely for engaging in peaceful demonstrations and calling for 

freedom and democracy for the people of Cuba; 

Whereas hundreds of pro-democracy activists have been imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their God-given 

right to freedom of expression, including— 

(1) Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara and Maykel 

‘‘Osorbo’’ Castillo of the San Isidro Movement; 

(2) Jose Diaz Silva of the Opposition Movement for 

a New Republic; 

(3) Arianna Lopez Roque of the Julio Machado 

Academy; 

(4) Emiyosian Roman Rodriguez, a 17-year-old who 

shouted ‘‘Patria y Vida’’ and was sent to a forced labor 

camp for 5 years; 

(5) Duannis Dabel Leon Taboada, a 22-year-old 

barber who was sentenced to 14 years; and 

(6) young women such as Lisandra Gongora 

Espinosa and the Garrido sisters, Loreto Hernandez and 

Donaida Perez; 

Whereas the illegitimate Communist regime in Cuba— 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•SRES 728 IS 

(1) is terrified of brave and courageous leaders who 

stand resolute in speaking out against the crimes against 

humanity committed by the regime; and 

(2) will persecute, kidnap, torture, and eventually 

kill anyone who stands up against the tyranny of the regime; and 

Whereas, by working together, freedom-loving nations can 

help bring positive change and democracy to the people 

of Cuba: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commends the bravery, courage, and resolve 

3 of the pro-democracy movement and all freedom ac4 tivists in Cuba for risking everything to bring free5 dom to the Cuban people; 

6 (2) condemns the repression of the hundreds of 

7 pro-democracy activists and political prisoners, in8 cluding children, that the Cuban regime is unjustly 

9 detaining and subjecting to physical and psycho10 logical torture, and calls for the immediate and un11 conditional release of such prisoners; 

12 (3) condemns the brutal torture and inhumane 

13 treatment of Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia by the 

14 Cuban regime, and calls for an immediate humani15 tarian medical visit to Garcia and all political pris16 oners who have been unjustly and illegally detained 

17 since July 11, 2021; 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
5 

•SRES 728 IS 

1 (4) condemns the brutal totalitarian Communist 

2 dictatorship in Cuba, and demands an end to the 

3 suffering of the Cuban people and the impunity of 

4 the human rights abusers of the regime; 

5 (5) calls for the international community to 

6 stand with the Cuban people and speak out against 

7 the totalitarian Communist regime in Cuba for in8 fringing on the freedom of thought, will, expression, 

9 assembly, and prosperity of the Cuban people; and 

10 (6) urges the President to firmly declare that 

11 the United States Government will not consider any 

12 more concessions or sanctions relief to the brutal, il13 legitimate Communist regime in Cuba until all con14 ditions for removing sanctions are met in accordance 

15 with the laws of the United States. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB