Black Spring (Cuba)
Encyclopedia
Black Spring refers to the 2003 crackdown on Cuban dissidents. The government imprisoned 75 dissidents, that included 29 journalists, as well as librarians, human rights activists, and democracy activists, on the basis that they were acting as agents of the United States by accepting aid from the US government. Amnesty International adopted 75 Cubans as prisoners of conscience
.
The crackdown on grassroots activists began on March 18 and lasted two days, coordinated with the US invasion of Iraq for minimum publicity.
Responding to human rights violations, the European Union
imposed sanctions on the Castro regime in 2003, that were lifted on January 2008. The European Union declared that the arrests "constituted a breach of the most elementary human rights, especially as regards freedom of expression and political association".
All of the dissidents were eventually released, most of whom were exiled to Spain
starting in 2010.
received the International Press Freedom Award
in 2003. Héctor Maseda Gutiérrez
received the same prize in 2008, while locked up in a maximum-security prison.
List of 75 jailed dissidents and their prison sentences:
, formed a movement called Ladies in White
. The movement received the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought
from the European Parliament
in 2005.
Prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
.
The crackdown on grassroots activists began on March 18 and lasted two days, coordinated with the US invasion of Iraq for minimum publicity.
Responding to human rights violations, the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
imposed sanctions on the Castro regime in 2003, that were lifted on January 2008. The European Union declared that the arrests "constituted a breach of the most elementary human rights, especially as regards freedom of expression and political association".
All of the dissidents were eventually released, most of whom were exiled to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
starting in 2010.
Imprisoned people
Manuel Vázquez PortalManuel Vázquez Portal
Manuel Vázquez Portal is an award-winning Cuban poet, writer and journalist.He won three official prizes between 1984 and 1993. In 1995, he was expelled by the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba because of his dissident views.He was incarcerated during the "Black Spring" in 2003...
received the International Press Freedom Award
CPJ International Press Freedom Awards
The CPJ International Press Freedom Awards honour journalists around the world who show courage in defending press freedom in the face of attacks, threats or imprisonment. Created in 1991, the awards are administered by the Committee to Protect Journalists....
in 2003. Héctor Maseda Gutiérrez
Héctor Maseda Gutiérrez
Héctor Fernando Maseda Gutiérrez is a Cuban nuclear engineer and a journalist.The Fidel Castro regime arrested him during the 2003 "Black Spring" and sentenced him to 20 years in jail. He was released in February, 2011. In 2008, he won an International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to...
received the same prize in 2008, while locked up in a maximum-security prison.
List of 75 jailed dissidents and their prison sentences:
- Nelson Aguiar RamírezNelson Aguiar RamírezNelson Aguiar Ramírez is a Cuban dissident. He was arrested and sentenced to 13 years in jail during the Black Spring in 2003. Amnesty International has declared him as a prisoner of conscience. He is president of the unofficial Partido Ortodoxo de Cuba .He is an electrician by trade.-External...
13 years - Osvaldo Alfonso Valdés 18 years
- Pedro Pablo Alvarez Ramos 25 years
- Pedro Argüelles MoránPedro Argüelles MoránPedro Argüelles Morán is a Cuban cartographer and journalist who was arrested during the "Black Spring" in 2003 and sentenced to 20 years in prison....
20 years - Víctor Rolando Arroyo CarmonaVíctor Rolando Arroyo CarmonaVíctor Rolando Arroyo Carmona is a Cuban geographer and journalist who was imprisoned on March 18, 2003 and sentenced to 26 years in prison, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists...
26 years - Mijail Barzaga Lugo 15 years
- Oscar Elías Biscet González 25 years
- Margarito Broche Espinosa 25 years
- Marcelo Cano RodríguezMarcelo Cano RodríguezMarcelo Cano Rodríguez is a Cuban physician and a member of the Comisión Cubana de Derechos Humanos y Reconciliación Nacional ....
18 years - Roberto de Miranda Hernández 20 years
- Carmelo Díaz FernándezCarmelo Díaz FernándezCarmelo Díaz Fernández is a Cuban journalist. He is editor of the Cuban Independent Trade Union Press Agency , an executive board member of the Unitary Council of Cuban workers and president of the banned Christian Trade Union....
15 years - Eduardo Díaz Fleitas 21 years
- Antonio Díaz SánchezAntonio Díaz SánchezAntonio Ramon Díaz Sánchez is a Cuban dissident. He participated in the gathering of signatures for the Varela project and was a member of the Christian Liberation Movement....
20 years - Alfredo Domínguez BatistaAlfredo Domínguez BatistaAlfredo Domínguez Batista is a Cuban dissident. Amnesty International has declared him as a prisoner of conscience.He is a member of the Christian Liberation Movement and has been involved in the Varela project. He was arrested during the Black Spring in 2003 and sentenced to 14 years in...
14 years - Oscar Espinosa ChepeOscar Espinosa ChepeÓscar Manuel Espinosa Chepe is a Cuban economist and dissident. He was one of approximately 75 dissidents arrested, tried and convicted in 2003 as part of what has been widely described as a massive crackdown by the Cuban government. Amnesty International declared him as a prisoner of conscience...
20 years - Alfredo Felipe FuentesAlfredo Felipe FuentesAlfredo Felipe Fuentes is a Cuban journalist.He was independent journalist, a member of an illegal trade union , and an activist in the Varela project....
26 years - Efrén Fernández Fernández 12 years
- Adolfo Fernández SainzAdolfo Fernández SainzJuan Adolfo Fernández Saínz is a Cuban journalist. Before his imprisonment, he was an independent journalist with the Patria news agency. Adolfo Fernández Sainz also contributed to foreign publications, particularly in Sweden...
15 years - José Daniel Ferrer García 25 years
- Luis Enrique Ferrer GarcíaLuis Enrique Ferrer GarcíaLuis Enrique Ferrer García is a Cuban dissident. He is married and has a daughter.He was arrested during the Black Spring in 2003 and received a 28-year sentence for his work with the Varela project, a civic initiative calling for democratic reforms in Cuba....
28 years - Orlando Fundora Alvarez 18 years
- Próspero Gaínza Agüero 25 years
- Miguel Galván Gutiérrez 26 years
- Julio César Gálvez Rodríguez 15 years
- Edel José García Díaz 15 years
- José Luis García Paneque 24 years
- Ricardo Gonzales Alfonso 20 years
- Diosdado González MarreroDiosdado González MarreroDiosdado González Marrero is a Cuban dissident.He was a member of the Peace, Democracy and Liberty Party. He was imprisoned during the Black Spring crackdown on dissidents in 2003....
20 years - Léster González Pentón 20 years
- Alejandro González RagaAlejandro González RagaAlejandro González Raga is a Cuban journalist. He was jailed from 2003 until released to exile in Spain in 2008. Amnesty International recognized him as a prisoner of conscience.-External links:* -References:...
14 years - Jorge Luis González TanqueroJorge Luis González TanqueroJorge Luis González Tanquero is a Cuban dissident. He has been declared as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.When his family exiled to the United States, the President of the United States noted "They recently arrived from Cuba, but without Melissa's father. Jorge Luis Gonzalez...
20 years - Leonel Grave de Peralta Almenares 20 years
- Iván Hernández Carrillo 25 years
- Normando Hernández González 25 years
- Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta 20 years
- Regis Iglesias Ramírez 18 years
- José Ubaldo Izquierdo Hernandez 16 years
- Reinaldo Labrada Peña 6 years
- Librado Linares García 20 years
- Marcelo López Bañobre 15 years
- José Miguel Martínez HernándezJosé Miguel Martínez HernándezJosé Miguel Martínez Hernández is Cuban dissident. He was a representative of Movimiento 24 de Febrero and was involved in Varela project. He was a librarian at General Juan Bruno Zayas Library....
13 years - Héctor Maseda GutiérrezHéctor Maseda GutiérrezHéctor Fernando Maseda Gutiérrez is a Cuban nuclear engineer and a journalist.The Fidel Castro regime arrested him during the 2003 "Black Spring" and sentenced him to 20 years in jail. He was released in February, 2011. In 2008, he won an International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to...
20 years - Mario Enrique Mayo Hernández 20 years
- Luis Milán FernándezLuis Milán FernándezLuis Milán Fernández is a Cuban physician. Amnesty International has recognized him as prisoner of conscience.-References:...
13 years - Nelson Moliné EspinoNelson Moliné EspinoNelson Moliné Espino is a Cuban dissident, who has been declared as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.He president of the unofficial Confederación de Trabajadores Democráticos de Cuba , and a member of the unofficial Partido 30 de noviembre...
20 years - Angel Moya AcostaAngel Moya AcostaAngel Moya Acosta is a Cuban construction worker and the founder of the Independent Alternative Option Movement. It demonstrated support for Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet.He was imprisoned during the Black Spring in 2003, and sentenced to 20 years in jail....
20 years - Jesús Mustafá Felipe 25 years
- Felix Navarro Rodríguez 25 years
- Jorge Olivera Castillo 18 years
- Pablo Pacheco AvilaPablo Pacheco AvilaPablo Pacheco Avila is a Cuban journalist who has contributed to the Ciego de Ávila Independent Journalists Cooperative . He has been a political prisoner in Cuba since 2003.-Political Prisoner:...
20 years - Héctor Palacios Ruíz 25 years
- Arturo Pérez de Alejo RodríguezArturo Pérez de Alejo RodríguezArturo Pérez de Alejo Rodríguez is a Cuban dissident and has been declared as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.He was president of the human rights organization Frente Escambray and activist supporter of the Varela project...
20 years - Omar Pernet HernándezOmar Pernet HernándezOmar Pernet Hernández is a Cuban librarian, human rights activist, and a former political prisoner.He was imprisoned during the Black Spring in 2003 and released to exile in Spain in 2008.-External links:*...
25 years - Horacio Piña Borrego 20 years
- Fabio Prieto Llorente 20 years
- Alfredo Pulido López 14 years
- José Gabriel Ramón Castillo 20 years
- Arnaldo Ramos LauzeriqueArnaldo Ramos LauzeriqueArnaldo Ramos Lauzurique is a Cuban independent economist. Ramos Lauzerique and Marta Beatriz Roque founded the Instituto de Economía. The group of economists has exposed how the communist government uses false statistics when reporting to the people and to international organizations.He was...
18 years - Blas Giraldo Reyes RodríguezBlas Giraldo Reyes RodríguezBlas Giraldo Reyes Rodríguez is a Cuban librarian and a member of Varela project. He was imprisoned in 2003 during a crackdown on dissidents and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Amnesty International has declared him as a prisoner of conscience.His wife, Isel Acosta, is a member of Ladies in White...
25 years - Raúl Rivero Castañeda 20 years
- Alexis Rodríguez Fernández 15 years
- Omar Rodríguez SaludesOmar Rodríguez SaludesOmar Rodriguez Saludes is a well known Cuban dissent journalist. He was sentenced to 27 years in jail.According to his wife, his cell conditions are very bad. There is no light in his cell and he has to suffer from mosquitoes.-References:...
27 years - Marta Beatriz Roque Cabello 20 years
- Omar Moisés Ruiz Hernández 18 years
- Claro Sánchez Altarriba 18 years
- Ariel Sigler Amaya 20 years
- Guido Sigler Amaya 20 years
- Ricardo Enrique SilvaRicardo Enrique SilvaRicardo Enrique Silva is a Cuban doctor and dissident. He was imprisoned during the Black Spring in 2003.Physicians for Human Rights reports that he has eye problems....
Gual 10 years - Fidel Suárez CruzFidel Suárez CruzFidel Suárez Cruz is a Cuban farmer from Pinar del Río.He became an independent librarian and a member of the pro-democracy Party for Human Rights in Cuba. He was arrested during the 2003 crackdown on dissidents and summarily sentenced to jail. Amnesty International recognized him as a prisoner of...
20 years - Manuel Ubals González 20 years
- Julio Antonio Valdés Guevara 20 years
- Miguel Valdés Tamayo 15 years
- Héctor Raúl Valle Hernández 12 years
- Manuel Vázquez PortalManuel Vázquez PortalManuel Vázquez Portal is an award-winning Cuban poet, writer and journalist.He won three official prizes between 1984 and 1993. In 1995, he was expelled by the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba because of his dissident views.He was incarcerated during the "Black Spring" in 2003...
18 years - Antonio Augusto Villareal AcostaAntonio Augusto Villareal AcostaAntonio Augusto Villarreal Acosta a Cuban economist, librarian, and Varela project coordinator. He published reports about problems of the transport facilities, the food supply and the housing shortage....
15 years
Related movements
The wives of imprisoned activists, led by Laura PollánLaura Pollán
Laura Inés Pollán Toledo was a prominent Cuban opposition leader. Pollan founded the dissident group, Ladies in White, which holds pacific protest marches with the wives and spouses of political prisoners in Cuba to demand their release. The Ladies in White are routinely and violently repressed by...
, formed a movement called Ladies in White
Ladies in White
Ladies in White is an opposition movement in Cuba consisting of wives and other female relatives of jailed dissidents. The women protest the imprisonments by attending Mass each Sunday wearing white dresses and then silently walking through the streets dressed in white clothing...
. The movement received the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought
Sakharov Prize
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named after Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, was established in December 1988 by the European Parliament as a means to honour individuals or organisations who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights and freedom of thought...
from the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in 2005.
External links
- Cuba's Long Black Spring - A report by the Committee to Protect Journalists
- Interviews (video) with imprisoned dissidents who were released to Spain
- Spring Nightmare - Manuel Vázquez Portal, an imprisoned Cuban writer, poet, and journalist, describes the prison conditions.