55th Sunday of repression in Cuba as U.S.-backed apartheid regime violently arrests peaceful human rights activists

Yesterday marked the 55th Sunday of repression in Cuba as the island’s human rights and democracy activists attempted to carry out their weekly peaceful protest march and were met with violence and repression by Cuban State Security. The U.S.-backed apartheid regime of the Castros has little to fear from President Obama in terms of reprisals or criticism for their violent oppression since the president’s new Cuba policy is focused solely on supporting and backing the murderous dictatorship. Nevertheless, even though Obama’s policy has left Cuba’s dissidents and opposition leaders at the mercy of their oppressors, they continue to take their struggle for freedom and liberty to the streets.

Martí Noticias has the report (my translation):

Repression against the Ladies in White did not cease on the 55th Sunday of #TodosMarchamos

Repressive forces watched the headquarters of the women’s movement in Havana. Several arrests were reported in the capital and in the Matanzas province.

damas de blanco 2016-05-29

Thirteen Ladies in White and 4 other human rights activists were arrested on Sunday as they left the headquarters of the opposition movement in Havana’s Lawton neighborhood. They were on their way to participate in the 55th march of the #TodosMarchamos campaign.

Other members of the Ladies in White were arrested upon leaving their homes to make their way to the Santa Rita church to attend mass.

Agents from State Security and members of repressive forces had staked out the headquarters of the women’s movement from the early morning hours, a common practice that has been taken place for the last several weeks.

Reports on Twitter from former political prisoner Angel Moya, husband of Berta Soler, leader of the Ladies in White, show photographs of the police operation that blocked street access to the home in Lawton where the Ladies in White gather before their peaceful marches.

moya repression 2016-05-29
State Security forces surround and stakeout the headquarters of the Ladies in White

Based on their strong belief that “our home is not a dungeon,” the activists took to the streets to march in spite of the police repression. Several of them were arrested.

Continue reading (in Spanish) HERE.