EXTERNAL AI Index: AMR 25/10/97

3 June 1997

Further information (2) on EXTRA 106/96 (AMR 25/31/96, 11 July 1996 and follow-up AMR 25/37/96, 24 September 1996) - Legal concern/Illtreatment and new concerns: harassment/prisoner of conscience/possible POC

CUBA new names:

Amnesty International is concerned at further developments relating to the situation of Nestor Rodríguez Lobaina and Radamés García de la Vega, both of whom were previously arrested on 6 June 1996 in Havana on charges of "disrespec t" and "resistance", and sentenced to twelve and six monthsí "limitación de libertad", "restricted liberty", respectively, as well as "destierro", internal exile or confinement, for a period of five years.

Nestor Rodríguez Lobaina, President of Jóvenes por la Democracia, Young People for Democracy, was again arrested on 8 April 1997. He was tried just two days later at the Tribunal Municipal, Municipal Tribunal, in Baracoa, Guantánam o province, and sentenced to 18 monthsí imprisonment, charged with "resisting authority" and "disrespect". On appeal the sentence was confirmed. He is currently being held in the Combinado de Guantánamo Prison.

According to reports, on 28 April 1997 Nestor Rodríguezí mother and his father, Ramón Rodríguez, were taken by police to a police station in Baracoa where the latter was searched and forced to sign an "acta de advertencia", an official warning, and threatened that if he carried on defending his son he would be a rrested. Also, on 13 May 1997, information relating to the situation of Nestor Rodríguez was confiscated from Rafael Fonseca Ochoa, also a member of Young People for Democracy, who was taken to a police station and warned that as long as he contin ued his activities with that organization he would be strictly monitored by State Security and that he would no longer be permitted to enter Baracoa.

Radamés García de la Vega, Vice-president of Young People for emocracy, was detained on 30 April 1997 in the City of Palma Soriano. On 7 May 1997 he was released on bail, after being charged with "desacato a la figura del Comandante en J efe", "disrespect to the Commander in Chief", i.e. President Fidel Castro. Amnesty International believes that, if brought to trial and convicted, he would be a prisoner of conscience and is therefore urging that the charges against him be dropped.

Amnesty International is seeking the immediate and unconditional release of prisoner of conscience Nestor Rodríguez Lobaina and is urging that the charges against Radamés García de la Vega be dropped. The organization is also aski ng that no further reprisals be taken against relatives or others who try to make public information concerning these cases, including Ramón Rodríguez and Rafael Fonseca Ochoa.

FURTHER RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/ airmail letters in Spanish or in your own language:

- urging that Nestor Rodríguez Lobaina be immediately and unconditionally released, on the grounds that he is a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly;

- urging that the charges against Radames García de la Vega be dropped on the grounds that, if imprisoned, he too would be a prisoner of conscience;

- urging that the measure of "destierro" imposed last year on Radamés García de la Vega be lifted immediately as it was imposed solely because of his attempts to exercise his right to freedom of expression, association and assembly;

- urging that no reprisals be taken against relatives and others who try to make these cases public.

APPEALS TO:

1) Attorney-General

Dr Juan Escalona Reguera

Fiscal General de la República

Fiscalía General de la República

San Rafael 3, La Habana, Cuba

Telegrams: Fiscal General, Havana, Cuba

Telex: 511456 fisge

Salutation: Sr Fiscal General / Dear Attorney General

2) Minister of Foreign Affairs

Sr Roberto Robaina González

Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores

Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores

Calzada No. 360

Vedado, La Habana, Cuba

Telegrams: Ministro Relaciones Exteriores, Havana, Cuba

Telex: 511122 / 511464 / 512950

Fax: + 53 7 333085 / + 53 7 335261

Salutation: Señor Ministro / Dear Minister

3) Minister of the Interior

General Abelardo Colomé Ibarra

Ministro de Interior

Ministerio del Interior

Plaza de la Revolución

La Habana, Cuba

Telegrams: Ministro Interior, Havana, Cuba

Salutation: Señor Ministro / Dear Minister

4) Department of State Security

Sr Director

Departamento de Seguridad del Estado

Versalles

Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Telegrams: Director, Seguridad del Estado, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Salutation: Señor Director / Dear Sir

COPIES TO:

National Union of Jurists

Unión Nacional de Juristas

Apartado 4161

La Habana 4, Cuba

Editor of Granma (daily newspaper)

Sr Jacinto Granda de Laserna

Granma

Apdo 6260

La Habana, Cuba

and to diplomatic representatives of Cuba accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 30 June 1997.