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IRI
Launches New Website and Report on Cuba's Democratic
Resistance
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Six months
after the Cuban government seized and imprisoned
dozens of political dissidents, the International
Republican Institute (IRI) unveiled new online
and print resources on the progress and predicament
of the pro-democracy movement in Cuba.
ON THE WEB: Database of Cuban Political Prisoners
The Institute now hosts a Web site that displays
the backgrounds and condition of the 78 dissidents
arrested by Cuban security services in March 2003.
Most of those were sentenced to long prison terms
in subsequent trials conducted by the Castro regime,
and many are denied access to proper medical care.
The database is available at http://www.iri.org/cubanprisoners/
ANNUAL REPORT: Steps to Freedom 2002
The "Steps to Freedom" report, an IRI-supported
publication of the Cuban Democratic Directorate
(Directorio), chronicles the activity of the civic
resistance movement in Cuba over the course of
2002. According to the report, this movement in
Cuba carried out 959 acts of nonviolent resistance,
founded 20 independent libraries, launched six
new newsletters and built several independent
medical clinics. The report can be obtained by
writing or calling IRI.
IRI and Cuba's Democracy Movement
The online database of Cuban political prisoners
and the "Steps to Freedom" were products
of IRI's longtime cooperation with the Directorio,
a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting
democratic change and human rights in Cuba.
Last week Orlando Gutierrez, the Directorio's
national secretary, spoke at IRI's Washington
headquarters about the progress of the democratic
movement has made both within Cuba and around
the world since the March crackdown.
"It should not surprise us at all that the
regime reacted the way it did. But the opposition
has not been destroyed," said Gutierrez.
"There are still hundreds of men and women
throughout the country who are willing to take
risks to denounce the violations that are being
committed and who continue to carry out acts of
civic resistance ... Now it is up to the international
community to continue supporting these activists."
About IRI
The International Republican Institute is a non-profit
organization based in Washington, D.C., dedicated
to advancing democracy, freedom, self- government
and the rule of law worldwide. IRI programs are
nonpartisan and adhere to the fundamental American
principles of individual freedom, equal opportunity
and the entrepreneurial spirit. IRI is working
in over 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern
Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
CONTACT: Thayer C. Scott, Communications Director
of the International
Republican Institute, +1-202-572-0086, or tscott@iri.org
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