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DemocracyAlerts

From time to time, the World Movement for Democracy issues alerts concerning participants and other colleagues who are, or may be, facing personal danger due to their work on behalf of democracy and for whom a vigorous response from around the world may be critical.

To see previous alerts go to www.wmd.org/democracyalerts/democracyAlerts.html.

According to Directorio Revolucionario Democrático Cubano (Cuban Democratic Revolutionary Directorate), on Monday, April 21, Cuban police broke up a peaceful sit-in of the Las Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White) at a Havana prison.  Ten women from the group were at the prison to deliver a letter with their plea to the Interior Minister to release their loved ones who have been imprisoned.  This was the group’s second attempt to deliver the letter.   Confronted by the police, the women laid on the ground with their arms locked.  Police picked them up and dragged them into buses.  Although the women were not beaten, they were mistreated and sustained several bruises on their arms and legs. 

For the last five years, the Ladies in White have staged demonstrations every Sunday challenging the government's crackdown and jailing in 2003 of 75 dissident writers and independent journalists.  Every Sunday, the group holds a silent protest march down Havana's busy Fifth Avenue, demanding the release of their jailed relatives.  More than 50 dissidents remain incarcerated.  The Cuban government accuses the activists and other opposition members of working with U.S. authorities to undermine the island's Communist system, a charge the dissidents and Washington deny.

For information from Directorio Revolucionario Democrático Cubano, go to: www.directorio.org/pressreleases/note.php?note_id=1962

For information from the Miami Herald, go to: www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/504647.html