IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 81
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the two-year anniversary of the 
human rights crackdown in Cuba. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 2, 2005
Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. LINCOLN 
DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. 
SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, and Mr. HYDE) sub-
mitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on International Relations 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the two-year 
anniversary of the human rights crackdown in Cuba.
Whereas in March 2003, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro ar-
rested more than 75 journalists, labor union organizers, 
civic leaders, librarians, and human rights activists as po-
litical prisoners; 
Whereas the Cuban regime, after summary trials which were 
denounced by the international community, sentenced 
these innocent men and women to a total of more than 
1,000 years in prison for trying to exercise their civil and 
political rights, many of whom are anticipated to die in 
prison before their sentence is completed;
•HCON 81 IH 
Whereas the Charter of the United Nations reaffirms a com-
mitment to fundamental human rights and to the dignity 
and worth of all people; 
Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which 
establishes global human rights standards, asserts that 
all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and 
rights, and that no one shall be subjected to arbitrary ar-
rest or detention; 
Whereas these arrests and convictions were an atrocious at-
tempt by the Cuban regime to crush the citizens’ move-
ments for a free and democratic Cuba; 
Whereas Fidel Castro has tentatively released a limited num-
ber of prisoners from jail but these political activists are 
subject to arrest and imprisonment at any time pursuant 
to ‘‘extra penal licenses’’; 
Whereas in 2004, the Cuban regime continued its suppres-
sion of democracy and repression of human rights activ-
ists, imprisoning a significant number of political dis-
sidents during the year on such charges as disrespect for 
authority, public disorder, disobedience, and resisting ar-
rest; 
Whereas in April 2004, the United Nations Commission on 
Human Rights adopted a resolution deploring the sen-
tencing of ‘‘political dissidents and journalists’’ in 2003 
and calling for a visit to Cuba by a Personal Representa-
tive of the High Commissioner for Human Rights which 
was later denied by the Cuban regime; 
Whereas Fidel Castro continues to hold hundreds of political 
prisoners in his jail cells;
•HCON 81 IH 
Whereas Amnesty International has recognized all journalists 
and activists who were arrested in the crackdown in 
March 2003 as prisoners of conscience; 
Whereas the Cuban regime engages in torture and other 
cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment and punish-
ment against political prisoners to force them into sub-
mission, including intense beatings, extended periods of 
solitary confinement, and denial of nutritional and med-
ical attention, according to the Department of State’s 
Country Report on Human Rights 2004; 
Whereas religious freedom in Cuba is severely circumscribed, 
and clergy and lay people suffer sustained persecution by 
the Cuban State Security apparatus; 
Whereas the Cuban regime denies the people of Cuba equal 
protection under the law, disallows them recourse for 
remedying violations of human rights and civil liberties, 
and instead enforces a judicial system which infringes 
upon fundamental rights; and 
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 by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress—
(1) condemns in the strongest possible terms 
the arrest of more than 75 journalists, labor union 
organizers, civic leaders, librarians, and human 
rights activists as political prisoners in March 2003 
and the Cuban regime’s continuing repressive crack-
•HCON 81 IH 
down 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 Cuban regime imme-
diately release all political prisoners, legalize all po-
litical parties, labor unions, and the press, and hold 
free and fair elections; 
(4) declares the acts of the Cuban 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 should replace 
the rule of force so that the fundamental and in-
alienable rights of every individual in Cuba are pro-
tected; 
(6) calls for the European Union, as well as 
other countries and international organizations, to 
continue to pressure the Cuban regime to improve 
its human rights record; and 
(7) calls for United Nations member countries 
to vote against the Cuban regime’s membership in 
the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
•HCON 81 IH 
and the passage of a resolution at the 61st session 
of the United Nations Commission on Human 
Rights that holds the Cuban regime accountable for 
its gross violations of human rights and civil lib-
erties.
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