Title: A resolution honoring Las Damas de Blanco, a women-led nonviolent movement in support of freedom and human rights in Cuba, and calling for the release of all political prisoners in Cuba.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution honors the members of Las Damas de Blanco, a group composed of wives and relatives of political prisoners, prisoners of conscience, and peaceful dissidents in Cuba, for their peaceful efforts to stand up to the Cuban regime and defend human rights and fundamental freedoms. Further, it expresses solidarity with the Cuban people and calls on the Cuban regime to release all political prisoners.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 531 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 531

   Honoring Las Damas de Blanco, a women-led nonviolent movement in 
   support of freedom and human rights in Cuba, and calling for the 
              release of all political prisoners in Cuba.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 5, 2020

  Mr. Rubio (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Cardin, and Mr. 
    Scott of Florida) submitted the following resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Honoring Las Damas de Blanco, a women-led nonviolent movement in 
   support of freedom and human rights in Cuba, and calling for the 
              release of all political prisoners in Cuba.

Whereas Las Damas de Blanco (also known as the ``Ladies in White'') is a group 
        composed of wives and relatives of political prisoners, prisoners of 
        conscience, and peaceful dissidents in Cuba;
Whereas, in April 2003, during the wave of repression known as the ``Black 
        Spring'', a group of strong and courageous women formed Las Damas de 
        Blanco in response to the wrongful imprisonment of their family members 
        by the Cuban regime;
Whereas members of Las Damas de Blanco continue attempting to attend Sunday mass 
        in the Church of Santa Rita de Casia in Havana, and other churches 
        throughout different provinces in Cuba, and then march peacefully 
        through the streets of Havana holding gladiolus despite the Cuban 
        regime's constant efforts to block their nonviolent exercise of freedom 
        of assembly and speech;
Whereas members of Las Damas de Blanco regularly march to advocate for the 
        release of all political prisoners and the freedom of the Cuban people;
Whereas, despite exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression 
        and assembly, members of Las Damas de Blanco are regularly attacked by 
        security forces and mobs organized by the Cuban regime;
Whereas, according to Amnesty International--

    (1) Las Damas de Blanco ``remain[s] one of the primary targets of 
repression by Cuban [G]overnment authorities''; and

    (2) members of Las Damas de Blanco are frequently detained and ``often 
beaten by law enforcement officials and state security agents dressed as 
civilians'' while in detention;

Whereas, according to the Human Rights Watch 2019 World Report, in Cuba 
        ``detention is often used preemptively to prevent people from 
        participating in peaceful marches or meetings to discuss politics, and 
        detainees are often beaten, threatened, and held incommunicado for hours 
        or days'';
Whereas the Human Rights Watch 2019 World Report noted that ``Cuban Police or 
        state security agents continue to routinely harass, rough up, and detain 
        members of Las Damas de Blanco before or after they attend Sunday 
        mass'';
Whereas, in 2005, Las Damas de Blanco were selected to receive the Sakharov 
        Prize for Freedom of Thought, but the Cuban regime did not allow members 
        of the group to leave the island to accept the award;
Whereas Laura Ines Pollan Toledo, the founder of Las Damas de Blanco, left a 
        legacy of peaceful protest against human and civil rights abuses in 
        Cuba;
Whereas Laura Ines Pollan Toledo died on October 14, 2011, and while her death 
        garnered widespread international attention, the Cuban regime remained 
        silent;
Whereas, in February 2015, 30 members of Las Damas de Blanco were arrested in an 
        attempt by Cuban officials to bar the women from participating in 
        marches, which sought to advocate for the freedom of political prisoners 
        in Cuba;
Whereas, while Raul Castro is no longer the head of Cuba, grave human rights 
        abuses continue under the current President of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel;
Whereas Las Damas de Blanco has appealed to the United States Government and 
        other foreign governments in order to bring international attention to 
        the repression of dissidents by the Cuban regime and the plight of 
        political prisoners, who are routinely jailed unjustly and without due 
        process;
Whereas, on May 17, 2018, Las Damas de Blanco received the prestigious 2018 
        Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty for the bravery of the group 
        and the continuing efforts of the group to fight for individual freedom 
        in Cuba;
Whereas Berta de los Angeles Soler Fernandez and Leticia Ramos Herreria, members 
        of Las Damas de Blanco, were prohibited by the Diaz-Canel regime from 
        leaving Cuba to accept the 2018 Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing 
        Liberty in the United States;
Whereas, on May 6, 2018, Aymara Nieto Munoz, a member of Las Damas de Blanco, 
        was violently arrested and during her transfer in a patrol car, a 
        uniformed cop beat her, causing Nieto to require medical attention;
Whereas, following 10 days of confinement in a cell of the Santiago de las 
        Vegas-La Habana, Aymara Nieto Munoz was transferred to Havana's women's 
        prison, known as the Guatao, and remains detained pending a trial for an 
        alleged ``crime of attack'' with other prisoners arrested for petty 
        crimes;
Whereas it is the second time that Aymara Nieto Munoz, has been imprisoned for 
        political reasons, and during a politically charged trial on June 3, 
        2017, she was sentenced to one year of prison for an alleged crime of 
        public disorder;
Whereas, in March 2018, Marta Sanchez Gonzalez was arrested for peacefully 
        protesting and transferred to a women's prison a month later;
Whereas, on August 2018, Marta Sanchez Gonzalez faced a rigged trial and was 
        sentenced to 4 years and 6 months of imprisonment alongside prisoners 
        for common crimes;
Whereas, throughout 2019, Las Damas de Blanco experienced countless arrests, 
        acts of repression, and violent attacks intended to imperil their 
        physical and mental state as a result of their peaceful advocacy of the 
        release of all political prisoners;
Whereas the total number of arrests in 2019 conducted by the Cuban Police 
        against Las Damas de Blanco is 1,120, including those of Berta Soler 
        Fernandez, who has been constantly harassed, violently attacked, and 
        detained for lengthy periods of time, and Xiomara de las Mercedes Cruz 
        Miranda, who was imprisoned in 2018;
Whereas, upon entering prison the first time on April 15, 2016, Ms. Cruz Miranda 
        was in good health, but after being sent to prison for the second time 
        in 2018, she acquired a rare skin disease in the women's prison in Ciego 
        de Avila and her health began to be affected by several conditions, 
        including tuberculosis, which severely damaged her respiratory system 
        and her mental and physical health; and
Whereas Ms. Cruz Miranda remained hospitalized for more than 6 months in Cuba, 
        and after her health condition failed to stabilize, she was admitted to 
        Jackson South Hospital in the City of Miami on January 2020, thanks to a 
        humanitarian visa granted by the United States Government: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) honors the courageous members of Las Damas de Blanco 
        for their peaceful efforts to speak up for the voiceless and 
        stand up to the Cuban regime in defense of human rights and 
        fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of expression and 
        assembly;
            (2) recognizes the brave leaders of Las Damas de Blanco, 
        including Marta Sanchez and Aymara Nieto Munoz, who are 
        currently in prison due to their peaceful activism;
            (3) expresses solidarity with the Cuban people and a 
        commitment to the democratic aspirations of those Cubans 
        calling for a free Cuba;
            (4) calls on the Cuban regime to allow members of Las Damas 
        de Blanco to attend weekly masses and travel freely both 
        domestically and internationally; and
            (5) calls for the release of all political prisoners 
        detained and imprisoned by the Cuban regime.
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