Sheffield Amnesty Group Action on Cuba

Sheffield Amnesty Group Action on Cuba

 

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=19280 

In March 2003 prisoner of conscience, Orlando ZapataTamayo was arrested with dozens on others in Cuba and, a year later,sentenced to three years in prison for “disrespect”, “public disorder” and “resistance”.

Last year Orlando Zapata Tamayo,  died in hospital after 85 days on hunger strike to demand the release of prisoners of conscience in Cuba. 

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=19280

His mother, Reina Luisa Tamayo, was arrested by state security agents who threatened to stop her and other mourners from commemorating the anniversary of Orlando’s death in church, on 23 February 2011.
In our campaign to protest against this inhuman act, Sheffield Amnesty International group  put together paper flowers in the shape of the Amnesty Candle logo along with a ‘We will never forget" poster,  photographed our work and sent it to the Cuban president. The white flowers indicate our support for the `women in white' movement in Cuba - partners, friends or relatives of those unjustly imprisoned and whose right to peaceful protest is frequently compromised by the Cuban police.

It isn't all bad news from  Cuba, though, because many of the prisoners of conscience imprisoned after the 2003 crackdown have now been released, although many have been sent into enforced exile.  Amnesty International continues to press for release to be unconditional. For example, Pablo Panchero, another former political prisoner in Cuba has been released and now lives in Spain.  He thanks Amnesty International members profoundly for their part in securing his release.