Proposed by the Cuban PDC
– The Centrist Democrat International (IDC-CDI) inspired by democratic principles and values and permanently committed to the promotion and defense of human rights in the entire world:
– Considering: That in recent times, violent repression against human rights activists and peaceful oppositionists in Cuba has been increasing, as documented by recognized international human rights organizations which have reported, among other things, 8,314 arbitrary detentions in the year 2015 and 9,351 in the year 2016. The majority of these arrests have been carried out by the political police, with the aim of blocking the exercise of the rights of association, and of peaceful gatherings and manifestations;
– Considering that, at the same time that political repression is intensifying, the Cuban electoral system remains closed and immobile, denying the Cuban people the opportunity to fully exercise its civil and political rights and to opt, through the electoral process, for changes and reforms that they consider convenient in their own country;
Agrees:
– To demand from the Cuban government the ratification and implementation without further delay the International Pact on Civil and Political Rights and the International Pact on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights signed by Cuba in February 2008 at the United Nations headquarters in New York;
– Demand from the Cuban government the strict implementation of all agreements regarding the protection of Cuban workers, signed by Cuba with the International Labor Organization (OIT), in accordance with the obligations assumed by all United Nations member states;
– Call on the Cuban government to initiate its announced reforms of its electoral system in order to enable the speedy organization of popular consultations and free, just and pluralistic elections, with full respect for the freedom of expression and association of the Cuban people, and in the presence of national and international observers so as to guarantee the fairness and transparency of all aspects of the electoral process;
– To formally demand from the government of Cuba to put an immediate end to the practice of the constant arbitrary detention of peaceful oppositionists, who have been subjected to harassment in contravention of the most basic norms of justice, and the immediate cessation of all political repression against the peaceful opposition;
– To demand the immediate liberation of Eduardo Cardet, leader of the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL), a member organization of IDC-CDI, arbitrarily detained this past November 30th and subjected to a trial lacking all legal guarantees as a result of which he has been declared a “prisoner of conscience” by Amnesty International, and the unconditional liberation of all other Cuban political prisoners without any further delay.