18 March 2010

The International Federation of Liberal Youth commemorates today the 7th anniversary of the Cuban Black Spring. Beginning on March 18th 2003, the Cuban government arrested and sentenced 75 dissidents all over Cuba – of which 54 of these are still in jail. Together with around 150 other political prisoners, they are confined in awful conditions just for writing, establishing small libraries in their homes, and peacefully working for democratic change.

Bart Woord, IFLRY President: "After 51 years of relentless dictatorship, the people of Cuba are desperate for change. The recent death of political prisoner Orlando Zapata while on a hunger strike and the subsequent decision by other dissidents to turn to this extreme form of pressure illustrates the depth of hopelessness in Cuba. It is high time for the Cuban people to exercise their inherent human rights and attain self-determination and democratic pluralism." Bart visited many Cuban human rights defenders on a two-week trip to Cuba in January 2010.

Today more than 2000 European members of parliament, from Spain to Norway and Georgia, will receive a letter from IFLRY asking them to step up their activities on the support of human rights and democracy on the island. Among the concrete suggestions are to allow for Cuban human rights defenders to access the internet at their countries' embassies, to ask government representatives to regularly visit human rights defenders outside of Havana and for their embassies to only hire and pay Cuban workers directly at the embassies. The call is joined by a leaflet showing the features of various political prisoners.

In conjunction with this call, the young liberals of the world are holding a Solidarity Fast from 8 AM to 8 PM today. Members of the IFLRY Bureau as well as hundreds of young liberals show their personal concern for the state of human rights on the island.

IFLRY is committed to supporting human rights and democracy on the island. For 2010 it has set up a special Programme under the coordination of a Team that will focus on awareness raising and political advocacy. For more information, please consult IFLRY Vice President Jordi Villanueva (jordi@iflry.org).

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For editors:

IFLRY is the worldwide federation of liberal, democratic, centrist, libertarian and radical youth and student organizations. It was established in 1947 as WFLRY and focuses on the promotion of liberal values around the world. Its Office is based in London, United Kingdom. For more information on IFLRY, please consult office@iflry.org or IFLRY President Bart Woord (bart@iflry.org).

IFLRY Member Organizations can use this statement for their own purposes.