Amnesty International, the world's most respected human rights organization, has just issued an "Urgent Action Appeal" asking people to send messages opposing the arrest of Leonardo Bruzon Avila. The text of the Amnesty appeal is appended below. In addition to sending letters to Cuban officials, even faster messages can be sent by e-mail to: Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque ([log in to unmask]) and President Fidel Castro ([log in to unmask]), with copies to Mr. Eliades Acosta ([log in to unmask]). By taking action on this Amnesty appeal, we will demonstrate that the world will no longer tolerate acts of cruelty and repression. It is especially important for librarians to show solidarity when one of our colleagues is a victim of intolerance and censorship. Sending an e-mail only takes a few moments of your time, and please be assured your message WILL HAVE AN IMPACT. Thank you, Robert Kent Friends of Cuban Libraries ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------- UA 229/01 Arbitrary arrest/Fear of becoming a prisoner of conscience 12 September 2001 CUBA Leonardo Bruzón Avila, independent librarian and human rights defender Human rights defender Leonardo Bruzón Avila was reportedly arrested on 5 September, after he set up an independent video library for children in the capital, Havana. Amnesty International fears that he may face an unfair trial and be jailed as a prisoner of conscience. He is now held at a police detention centre in Havana, the Departamento Técnico de Investigaciones (DTI), Technical Investigations Department. As yet no charges are known to have been brought against him. He reportedly opened the video library on 12 August, with a screening of the Disney film Hercules, which many children came to. Leonardo Bruzón is President of the Movimiento Pro Derechos Humanos 24 de Febrero, 24 February Human Rights Movement named for the date in 1996 on which two planes belonging to a Cuban exile group were shot down by the Cuban airforce. He named the library, in his home in Havana, "The 24 February Library". The authorities issued a warrant for his arrest and the eviction of him and his family. Leonardo Bruzón went into hiding until his arrest. It is not known whether the eviction order has been carried out. Leonardo Bruzón has been repeatedly detained and harassed. In August this year he and other opponents of the government were arrested and briefly detained to prevent them taking part in a demonstration calling for the release of political prisoners, in which they were planning to stand with candles in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary in the Virgen del Camino park in Havana. On 3 December 2000 he and other dissidents were detained to prevent them taking part in a demonstration to celebrate Human Rights Day. Leonardo Bruzón was not released for two months. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The media in Cuba is controlled by the state, and freedom of expression, association and assembly are severely limited. The first independent library was started in 1998 in Las Tunas by a couple who were reportedly motivated by comments made at a book fair by President Fidel Castro, who said there were no banned books in Cuba, only limited funds with which to buy books for public libraries. Since then many independent libraries have been set up, and many librarians have been detained, harassed and threatened with arrest if they continue their work, or asked to leave the country. Leonardo Bruzón recently said that he had set up the 24 February library for "the promotion of activities of a cultural nature ... every Sunday we will screen films for children and young people". ("La biblioteca '24 de Febrero' promueve actividades de índole cultural ... cada domingo exhibiremos filmes para los niños y jóvenes ..."). RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Spanish, English or your own language: - expressing concern that Leonardo Bruzón Avila has been detained; - urging that he be released or charged with a criminal offence; - expressing concern that he may be a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression; - urging that he be granted access to a lawyer of his choice; - urging that independent librarians and journalists be permitted to carry out their legitimate peaceful activities without interference from the authorities. APPEALS TO: Attorney-General Dr Juan Escalona Reguera Fiscal General de la República Fiscalía General de la República San Rafael 3, La Habana, Cuba Telegrams: Fiscal General, Havana, Cuba Telexes: 511456 fisge Salutation: Sr Fiscal General / Dear Attorney General Minister of Foreign Affairs Sr Felipe Pérez Roque Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores Calzada No. 360 Vedado, La Habana, Cuba Telegrams: Ministro Relaciones Exteriores, Havana, Cuba Faxes: + 53 7 333085 / 335261 Telexes: 511122 / 511464 / 512950 Salutation: Señor Ministro / Dear Minister Minister of the Interior General Abelardo Colomé Ibarra Ministro de Interior Ministerio del Interior Plaza de la Revolución La Habana, Cuba Telegrams: Ministro Interior, Havana, Cuba Faxes: +53 7 33 5261 / 537 301566 Salutation: Señor Ministro / Dear Minister COPIES TO: Editor of Granma (daily newspaper) Sr Jacinto Granda de Laserna, Granma, Apdo 6260, La Habana, Cuba and to diplomatic representatives of Cuba accredited to your country. PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 24 October 2001.