Acción Democratica Cubana - 02/25/98
We were just informed that William Ernesto Herrera Diaz, Pedro Castro Ponce de Leon, Juan Jose Lopez, Ramon Varela Sanchez, Arnaldo Fernandez Pons, Franscisco Morilla and Maria de los Angeles Gonzalez, Leandro Carvajal, Arturo Perez, Rita Quintana and Eduardo Magdalena Ruiz are among a group of 23 members of the Liga Civica Martiana and other dissident organizations, that were beaten and arrested by the repressive political police of Cuba at the corner of Infanta and San Lazaro streets in Havana, after starting a peaceful march from the church of Our Lady of Carmel towards the Waterfront.
They were carrying flowers, which they wanted to offer at sea for those that had died in it especially the victims of the Brothers to the Rescue Massacre, a Cuban flag which was ripped and stumped on, and signs that totally destroyed that said ìDo Not Fearî, following the words of His Holiness John Paul II in his recent visit to Cuba. Some members were able to reach the Waterfront where they sang the Cuban National Anthem and prayed.
The Liga Civica Martiana and other dissident organizations had scheduled a solemn mass for 5:00PM today at Our Lady of Carmel Church for the 100th Anniversary of the ìProclamation of Baireî, the 2nd Anniversary of the Brothers to the Rescue Massacre and for the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Cuba. The mass could not be held because the State Police denied the priest the right to offer the Mass for those souls.
Ms. Carla Perez was detained for 8 hours this morning by the State Security Officer Ernesto Martinez and an officer of the Capri Unit. Her house was searched and they seized a typewriter, some papers and cash. She was interrogated constantly and threaten with the arrest of her husband and charged them with Armed Robbery with Violence, so that they could not claim it is a political issue. She managed to escape and is now being sought by the police. Her husband, William Ernesto Herrera Diaz is among the group that was arrested.
We bring this to your attention pleading for your good offices in favor of these brave Cubans that are only trying to exercise the most basic of the human rights as stipulated in the Declaration of Human Rights.