FROM
CUBA
Independent
labor leader held for two days, threatened
HAVANA, August 1 (www.cubanet.org) - An independent
labor leader here said he was detained July 25
and brought under heavy pressure by Department
of State Security officials to cease his organizing
activities before being released two days later.
Luis Torres, a delegate of the National Independent
Labor Federation, said the agents who arrested
him said they had orders to take him to State
Security headquarters, since his activities are
considered "subversive in the first degree."
"They warned me against transmitting any
type of information about human rights or labor
rights violations; told me not to have any contact
with the Eastern Free Press office in Santiago
de Cuba, and they threatened to indict me under
the provisions of Law 88 if I didn't dismantle
the working structure of the labor federation.
They also told me if I didn't find a government
job, I would be facing a warning for "social
dangerousness."
Torres said the government's attitude validates
the work of the independent labor unions.
"Nothing can stop the independent labor
movement now," said Torres, "and this
latest round of repression affirms that right
is on our side, and fear on the side of the agents."
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