CUBA: VIDEO/ children of human rights defenders denounce‏ harassment

CUBA: VIDEO/ children of human rights defenders denounce‏ harassmentThe following is a video (2:29 min in Spanish) that the Coalition of Cuban-American Women received from the Eastern city of Contramestre in Cuba, with the testimony of a minor whose parents were arrested for visiting the tomb of the recently deceased prisoner of conscience, WILMAN VILLAR MENDOZA. Josue, son of Lady in White, Yarisel Figueredo Valdes was left alone in the house and is outwardly emotionally affected by this. The Coalition of Cuban-American Women points out that Josue's case is not an isolated one but it's the rule for all the children of human rights defenders who are subjected to the physical and verbal violence of the Cuban State. These Cuban children are under constant stress and fear and the following are among some of the human rights violations they are subjected to: "acts of repudiation" that may last for days, carried out by mobs that surround the house screaming slogans through megaphones. The electricity and water are often cut off and the family is unable to sleep or leave the house to get food. home searches of the activists' home when State Security and police officials ransack the home, taking away papers, books, photographs and any material necessary to document and denounce human rights violations. Even the inside of the house is filmed. In school, the children are targeted and systematically humiliated in public by the teachers, principal and by other children who are asked not to mingle with them. The children are told that their parents are bad people, "counterrevolutionaries", enemies of Cuba, who are mercenaries receiving money from a foreign state ( U.S. European country, etc.) The Cuban State threatens human rights defenders in the island with taking away the custody of their children; causing these minors to live in constant fear of being separated from their parents The children are exposed to violent arrests, beatings and incarceration of their parents. Prison visits are a source of constant stress. Video News CUBA: VIDEO/ children of human rights defenders denounce‏ harassment Published: 20/02/2012 6:32 pm