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 anti-government 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, censorship, 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 confinement 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 (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 (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— (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 That the House of Representatives— (1) commends the bravery, courage, and resolve of the pro-democracy movement and all freedom activists in Cuba for risking everything to bring freedom to the Cuban people; (2) condemns the repression of the hundreds of pro-democracy activists and political prisoners, including children, that the Cuban regime is unjustly detaining and subjecting to physical and psychological torture, and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of such prisoners; (3) condemns the brutal torture and inhumane treatment of Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia by the Cuban regime, and calls for an immediate humanitarian medical visit to Garcia and all political prisoners who have been unjustly and illegally detained since July 11, 2021; (4) condemns the brutal totalitarian Communist dictatorship in Cuba, and demands an end to the suffering of the Cuban people and the impunity of the human rights abusers of the regime; (5) calls for the international community to stand with the Cuban people and speak out against the totalitarian Communist regime in Cuba for infringing on the freedom of thought, will, expression, assembly, and prosperity of the Cuban people; and (6) urges the President to firmly declare that the United States Government will not consider any more concessions or sanctions relief to the brutal, illegitimate Communist regime in Cuba until all conditions for removing sanctions are met in accordance with the laws of the United States.

Summary: This resolution commends the bravery, courage, and resolve of the pro-democracy movement and all freedom activists in Cuba for risking everything to bring freedom to the Cuban people. The resolution condemns the repression of the hundreds of pro-democracy activists and political prisoners, including children, that the Cuban regime is unjustly detaining and subjecting to physical and psychological torture, and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of such prisoners. The resolution calls for the international community to stand with the Cuban people and speak out against the totalitarian Communist regime in Cuba for infringing on the freedom of thought, will, expression, assembly, and prosperity of the Cuban people. Finally, the resolution urges the President to firmly declare that the U.S. government will not consider any more concessions or sanctions relief to the brutal, illegitimate Communist regime in Cuba until all conditions for removing sanctions are met in accordance with the laws of the United States.