Cuban political prisoners will not accept conditioning of their release

Angel Moya Acosta, Cuban political prisoner sentenced to 20 years during the Black Spring of 2003 puts it simple: Dignity and Decorum - we will not accept any conditions to our release.

Moya is the president of the Movement for Democracy and Freedom for Cuba and is speaking up against the blatant attempt of blackmail the Castro regimen is trying with the Ladies in White, asking them to split from their support ladies if they want to see their loved ones among the released - which is still something to be seen anyway.

Blackmail anyone?

Via Baracutey Cubano, here his is original letter in Spanish.  A free English translation, courtesy of *yours truly*:

Combinado del Este prison, Havana, May 27th, 2010

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If my freedom depends on the Ladies in White and the support ladies stop doing what they have been doing for the past seven years, because the repressive regimen is imposing this condition on the, I won’t accept it because it is humiliating, denigrating and immoral.

Whoever accepts freedom under this type of conditions, well, it his problem. We all have the right to fight and demand from the regime the freedom to all Cuban political prisoners, but we must do it with dignity and decorum.

To ask this from women that for seven tough venturesome years have fought for the freedom of Cuban political prisoners with courage, honor, dignity all the right moral reasons in this world, is totally unacceptable.

To accept this condition from the 21st department of the State Security’s police is immoral and embarrassing. The freedom of Cuban political prisoners will not bear any type of condition. The only ones who accept humiliating conditions in order to be free are pervert criminals.

Support ladies are an inseparable part of the Ladies in White; the represent the Cuban people that have joined us in this fight. Through their example, dignity and courage, they set a precedent for men to break loose from the chains of fear and join the struggle.

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After more than fifty years of repression, the 21st department of the State Security’s police – the executioners of the repression- is so cynic that [its agents] are visiting the relatives of political prisoners, telling them there will be releases.

Let us keep it real. These smokes and mirrors should take nobody away. If the regime decides to release political prisoners, will do it for its own convenience; to improve its political image that has deteriorated a lot.

On the other hand, the release of the political prisoners is part of the problem, but it is not the solution. What would really solve the problem is to establish a democratic government in Cuba, with freedom, justice and rights for all. So that never again the Cuban would be considered a criminal for standing up and demanding his rights.

Where is the good will and the good intentions of the 21st department of the State Security’s police when Samper, Tamayo and other higher rank officials leading this group have organized, lead and instigate the Rapid Response Brigades – that are merely gangs of terrorists – against peaceful and unarmed women?


Where is the good will of the regime lead by Raul Castro when he left Orlando Zapata Tamayo die and, few days after, ordered this very same department to organize a public beating against Zapata Tamayo’s mother? And all that because she dressed in white again and kept the fight for the ideals to which her son gave his life…

I would like that some of those who the 21st department paid them a visit would tell me when the political prisoners will be released and how many of the them would benefit from the initiative. We all know the Cuban military regime wants to take the Ladies in White and the support ladies out of the spotlight.

Beware and careful before putting any blame on this women, in the even the regime, as usual, fool us again. It is immoral to play this game and whoever plays it, it is an immoral.

If we want to see all Cuban political prisoners released, we need to do the same these women are doing; we need to join them in the streets of Havana, without conditions or dishonorable deals.

One more time, the regime is testing us.

First, they wanted to condition our release to the release of the five spies convicted in the United States and this was rejected.

Today, history repeats herself.

Let’s support these courageous women that have fought, for seven long years.

Let’s stand up like men and let’s say that we are with the Ladies in White and the Support Ladies, together
with civil honor, dignity and decorum.

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H/T to Zoe Valdes

Disclaimer: Angel Moya, his wife Berta Soler and their two children were my lifetime neighbors back in the tropical gulag so yes, I have a HUGE bias towards this honest, hard-working and unbelievable good family, their courage and the living hell they have experience just for daring to stand up for their rights.