05 Jul 10 | Index Index, minipost
Cuban authorities have expelled prominent intellectual Esteban Morales from the Communist party after he alleged senior party members were corrupt. Writing on the Cuban National Artists and Writers Union’s website, Morales claimed that party bureaucracy and the greed of unnamed high ranking party members would be the downfall of the communist state. The article was quickly removed but not before being widely circulated. Rumours of corruption have been widespread in Cuba; two government ministers were recently being forced to resign following allegations that they had used state aircraft for personal gain.
18 May 10 | Index Index, minipost
On 14 May, a Cuban appeal court reduced a blogger’s 20 months jail sentence to a fine of 300 pesos (12 dollars). Dania Virgen, who writes El Blog de Dania, was charged with abuse of authority for mistreating her 23-year-old daughter, who disapproved of her political activism. Yoani Sánchez has published an article and video interview with Dania Virgen on her blog.
28 Apr 10 | Index Index, minipost
An independent journalist and blogger has been sentenced to 20 months in prison on charges that had not yet been made known. Dania Virgen García was sentenced just one day after her arrest by police on 22 April. Virgen García’s blog El blog de Dania, launched in January, reports on the violence and repression independent reporters face on the island. She is also a well known supporter of the “Damas de blanco” movement (Ladies in White).
25 Feb 10 | Uncategorized
Cuban dissident Orlando Zapata Tamayo died on Tuesday after over 80 days on hunger strike in prison.
Tamayo had been one of many dissidents, writers and journalists rounded up in Cuba’s “Black Spring” of 2003.
Raul Castro is said to be “lamenting” Tamayo’s death, but as with everything that happens in Cuba, the blame is being placed at the door of the United States.
Meanwhile, Spanish prime minister Luis Rodriguez Zapatero engaged in rare condemnation of Cuba in the wake of Tamayo’s death, calling on the authorities to immediately release all political prisoners.
Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez managed to interview Tamayo’s mother, who said
I want to tell the world about my pain. I think my son’s death was a premeditated murder. My son was tortured throughout his incarceration. His plight has brought me great pain and has been excruciating for the entire family. Even, as he was transferred to this prison, he was first held in Camaguey without drinking water for 18 days. My son dies after an 86-day hunger strike. He is another Pedro Boitel for Cuba. [Pedro Luis Boitel died in 1972 during a hunger strike while serving a 10-year prison sentence in Cuba]
In the midst of deep pain, I call on the world to demand the freedom of the other prisoners and brothers unfairly sentenced so that what happened to my boy, my second child, who leaves behind no physical legacy, no child or wife, does not happen again. Thank you!
Read the rest here
