IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 563
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the one-
year anniversary of the human rights crackdown in Cuba. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 16, 2004
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. 
MENENDEZ, and Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International 
Relations 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regard-
ing the one-year anniversary of the human rights crack-
down in Cuba.
Whereas in March 2003, Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro, ar-
rested more than 75 journalists, labor union organizers, 
civic leaders, and human rights activists as political pris-
oners; 
Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which 
guides global human rights policy, asserts that all human 
beings are born free and live in dignity with rights; 
Whereas the Castro regime sentenced these innocent men and 
women to a total of more than 1,000 years in prison,
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many of whom are anticipated to die in prison before 
their sentence is completed; 
Whereas these arrests were an atrocious attempt by the Cas-
tro regime to crush the citizens’ movement for a free and 
democratic Cuba; 
Whereas the internal opposition in Cuba is working intensely 
and valiantly to draw international attention to Cuba’s 
deplorable human rights situation and continues to 
strengthen and grow in its opposition to the Government 
of Cuba; 
Whereas Amnesty International has recognized all 75 jour-
nalists and activists arrested in the crackdown on March 
18, 2003, in Cuba as prisoners of conscience; 
Whereas Reporters Without Borders has called Cuba the 
world’s biggest prison for journalists; 
Whereas the Government of Cuba engages in torture and 
other cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment and pun-
ishment against political prisoners to force them into sub-
mission, including the use of electroshock, intense beat-
ings, and extended periods of solitary confinement with-
out nutrition or medical attention; 
Whereas religious freedom in Cuba is severely circumscribed 
and clergy and lay people suffer sustained persecution by 
the Cuban State Security apparatus; 
Whereas the Government of Cuba denies the people of Cuba 
equal protection under the law, enforcing a judicial sys-
tem which infringes upon fundamental rights while deny-
ing recourse against the violation of human rights and 
civil liberties; and
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Whereas the United States Congress has stood, consistently, 
on the side of the Cuban people and supported their right 
to be free: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) condemns in the strongest possible terms 
the repressive crackdown by the Government of 
Cuba against the brave internal opposition and the 
independent press; 
(2) expresses its profound admiration and firm 
solidarity with the internal opposition and inde-
pendent press of Cuba; 
(3) demands that the Government of Cuba re-
lease all political prisoners, legalize all political par-
ties, labor unions, and the press, and hold free and 
fair elections; 
(4) declares the acts of the Castro regime, in-
cluding its widespread and systematic violation of 
human rights, to be in violation of the Charter of 
the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of 
Human Rights; 
(5) declares that the rule of law for the Cuban 
people should guarantee each and every fundamental 
and inalienable right; and 
(6) calls for the passage of a resolution at the 
60th session of the United Nations Commission on 
Human Rights that holds the Government of Cuba
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accountable for its gross violations of human rights 
and civil liberties.
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