THREE BROTHERS DETAINED FOR DISSENT - AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

DOCUMENT - CUBA: THREE BROTHERS DETAINED FOR DISSENT

UA: 201/13 Index: AMR 25/005/2013 Cuba Date: 2 August 2013
URGENT ACTION
THREE BROTHERS DETAINED FOR DISSENT
Three brothers who are members of a dissident organization are being
detained on trumped-up charges. Amnesty International believes them to
be prisoners of conscience, detained solely for peacefully exercising
their right to freedom of expression.
Alexeis Vargas Martín and his two 17-year-old twin brothers, Vianco
Vargas Martín and Django Vargas Martín have been detained, charged by
the police with using "violence or intimidation" against a state
official (atentado). The brothers, who live in the neighbourhood of
Veguita de Galo in the city of Santiago de Cuba are all members of the
Patriotic Union of Cuba (Unión Patriótica de Cuba, UNPACU).
In the afternoon of 27 November 2012, Alexeis was returning to his house
where a government-sanctioned demonstration (acto de repudio, see
background information) was underway at the time. The house was
surrounded by government supporters as his mother, Miraida Martín
Calderín, a member of the Ladies in White protest group, was meeting
with other members of the same organization. Alexeis was refused entry
to his own home and arrested by police and officials from the Department
of State Security. On 2 December, Vianco and Django Vargas Martín - then
only 16 years old - went with friends to protest outside the Micro 9
police station in the city of Santiago de Cuba against the detention of
their brother. They were arrested and also charged by police with atentado.
The three brothers have yet to be formally charged by the public
prosecutor and their lawyer has been refused access to their case-files.
Amnesty International believes that their arrest and detention is in
response to their peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of
expression and that it is intended to send a message of intimidation to
other government critics, particularly other members of UNPACU. For this
reason the organization has adopted them as prisoners of conscience and
is calling for their immediate and unconditional release.
Please write immediately in Spanish or your own language:
Calling on the authorities to release Alexeis Vargas Martín, Vianco
Vargas Martín and Django Vargas Martín immediately and unconditionally,
as they are prisoners of conscience, detained solely for peacefully
exercising their right to freedom of expression;
Urging them to remove unlawful restrictions on freedoms of expression,
association and assembly.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 13 SEPTEMBER 2013 TO:

Head of State and Government
Raúl Castro Ruz
Presidente de la República de Cuba
La Habana, Cuba
Fax: +41 22 758 9431 (Cuba office in Geneva); +1 212 779 1697 (via Cuban
Mission to UN)
Email: cuba@un.int (c/o Cuban Mission to UN)
Salutation: Your Excellency
Attorney General
Dr. Darío Delgado Cura
Fiscal General de la República, Fiscalía General de la República,
Amistad 552, e/Monte y Estrella, Centro Habana,
La Habana, Cuba
Salutation: Dear Attorney General
And copies to:
Interior Minister
General Abelardo Coloma Ibarra
Ministro del Interior y Prisiones
Ministerio del Interior, Plaza de la Revolución, La Habana, Cuba
Fax: +1 212 779 1697 (via Cuban Mission to UN)
Email: correominint@mn.mn.co.cu
Salutation: Your Excellency

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your
country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:
Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above
date.

URGENT ACTION
THREE BROTHERS DETAINED FOR DISSENT
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Alexeis Vargas Martín, aged 22, is being held at Aguadores Prison in
Santiago de Cuba province, while Vianco and Django Vargas Martín are
held at the Mar Verde prison for men in the same province. They are
housed in a special prison wing (destacamento) for minors.
The charge of atentado carries a prison sentence of up to five years.
In early July 2013, officials from the Department of State Security told
the brothers' family that they could be released on bail. The three
brothers, however, have refused this as they reject the charges made by
the police and insist on their innocence.
Miraida Martín Calderín was also arrested on 2 December 2012 as she
protested outside the Tercera Unidad police station in Santiago de Cuba
city and charged by police with public disorder (desordenes públicos).
She was held at the Mar Verde prison for women and released on 20
February 2013, and charges against her were dropped.
Acts of repudiation (actos de repudio) are government-coordinated
demonstrations, usually carried out in front of the homes of
government critics, attended by government supporters, state officials
and law enforcement agencies, aimed at harassing and
intimidating opponents of the government, and are often used to prevent
them from travelling to take part in activities. During an act of
repudiation, political opponents and human rights activists are
subjected to verbal and physical abuse by groups of people
chanting pro-government slogans. Police are usually present but do not
intervene to stop the assaults. Such incidents frequently
involve the Rapid Response Brigades (Brigadas de Respuesta Rápida), a
structure set up in 1991 and composed of Communist
Party volunteers whose task is to deal with any sign of
"counter-revolution". Local human rights activists and others believe
these incidents are orchestrated by Cuba's security services to
intimidate any opposition. Miraida Martin Calderin has told Amnesty
International that members of the Rapid Response Brigade threw stones at
her house during the act of repudiation on 27 November 2012.
The Patriotic Union of Cuba is a civil society organization which
advocates for greater civil liberties on the island..
Names: Alexeis Vargas Martín, Vianco Vargas Martín and Django Vargas Martín
m/f: all m

UA: 201/13 Index: AMR 25/005/2013 Issue Date: 02 August 2013

Source: "Document - Cuba: Three brothers detained for dissent | Amnesty
International" -
http://amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR25/005/2013/en/0800dd1c-1757-4525-8501-5971ea500204/amr250052013en.html