End the Repression in Cuba
Secretary Colin L. Powell Washington, DC April 10, 2003
In recent days, the Cuban government has undertaken the most significant act of political repression in decades. Nearly
80 representatives of a growing and truly independent civil society have been arrested, convicted and sentenced to
lengthy prison terms in summary, secret trials. Their only crime was seeking basic human rights and freedoms.
We call on Castro to end this despicable repression and free these prisoners of conscience. The United States and the
international community will be unrelenting in our insistence that Cubans who seek peaceful change be permitted to do
so. We are working with our partners on the Human Rights Commission in Geneva to develop a resolution that condemns Cuba
s abysmal human rights performance in the strongest possible terms. [End]
Released on April 10, 2003