Degrading abuse against pregnant wife of Cuban opposition leader leaves her hospitalized & in danger of a miscarriage

Updated information on Daneysi Gálvez Pereira and a call to action

Pregnant woman at 8 months

Woman eight months pregnant strip searched and vaginally probed with a speculum by Cuban state security twice now faces danger of a miscarriage.

Guantánamo. August 20, 2010. The young activist and wife of jailed opposition leader Néstor Rodríguez Lobaina, Daneysi Gálvez Pereira is in danger of a miscarriage after being subjected by Cuban state security agents by two forced vaginal cavity examinations during the process of repression initiated in Baracoa on August 12.

Eight months pregnant she was forced to undress and they introduced a speculum into her vaginal cavity on two occasions after Néstor Rodríguez Lobaina, his brother Rolando and three other activists were arrested at the home located in Apartment F on Calle Martí #434, in the neighborhood of Reforma Urbana in the above mentioned city. Three female police, one dressed as a doctor carried out this violation.

"They took my fingerprints and searched my body. They fully undressed me, another woman, and the girls too ... Afterwards came from Baracoa to my house [in Guantanamo] and at the terminal, I was detained and they took me to the barracks again. They completely searched me again ... When I arrived at Guantanamo, I had still not ridden on the bus and they placed me into a little car and took me to the headquarters here in Guantánamo, to Park 24 and they repeated the act. They won’t leave me in peace. They have constant surveillance in front of my house. They won’t stop bothering me ... I am outraged. I am at a loss for words,” denounced Daneysi, who had to be taken to the hospital on August 18th.

"The doctor who examined me, Beltran, told me that the cervix had shortened and was dilated three centimeters caused by the introduction of the speculum twice by the Baracoa Police Unit. This caused a loss of fluid,” affirmed the young women to the Directorate via telephone on August 20.

At present, Daneysi Gálvez Pereira is on bed rest at her home in Guantánamo.

Her husband, Néstor Rodríguez Lobaina, opposition leader of the Cuban Youth Movement for Democracy remains arbitrarily detained at State Security headquarters in Guantanamo with Rolando Rodríguez Lobaina, Francisco Luis Manzanet Ortiz, Roberto González Pelegrín and Enyor Díaz Allen. Police officers have informed them that they will be prosecuted under the crime of "public disorder" after the above mentioned protested on the balcony of Nestor’s home the arbitrary arrest and deportation of two opponents.

Yordis García Fournier and Eriberto Liranza Linares were arbitrarily detained on August 11, 2010 at 2:15pm by Cuban State Security under the pretext that Eriberto was visiting Baracoa from Havana and was in violation of the 1997 Cuban National Assembly Decree 217 which restricts internal migration in Cuba. This “law” is a violation of international human rights standards specifically Article 13. (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which Cuba is a signatory which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.”

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Spanish or your own language:

Calling on the authorities to ensure an immediate halt to the harassment, intimidation and physical assaults against Roberto González Pelegrín, Enyor Díaz Allen, Rolando Rodríguez Lobaina, Nestor Rodríguez Lobaina, Francisco Luis Manzanet Ortiz, Oscar Savon Pantoja, Yuliesky Sánchez Rodríguez and Daneisy Gálvez Pereira by government agents and supporters.

Calling on the authorities to immediately release from detention Néstor Rodríguez Lobaina, Rolando Rodríguez Lobaina, Enyor Díaz Allen, Francisco Luis Manzanet Ortiz and Roberto González Pelegrín.

Calling on the authorities to cease and desist from harassing and physically molesting Daneysi Gálvez Pereira who is eight months pregnant and on two occasions was strip searched and vaginally probed with a speculum which according to a doctor has placed her pregnancy in danger of a miscarriage. Furthermore to investigate the officials responsible for this harassment.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 22 SEPTEMBER 2010 TO:

Head of State and Government

Raúl Castro Ruz Presidente

La Habana, Cuba

Fax: +53 7 8333085 (via Foreign Ministry); +1 2127791697 (via Cuban Mission to UN)

Email: cuba@un.int (c/o Cuban Mission to UN)

Salutation: Su Excelencia/Your Excellency

Interior Minister

General Abelardo Coloma Ibarra

Ministro del Interior y Prisiones

Ministerio del Interior, Plaza de la Revolución, La Habana, Cuba

Fax: +53 7 8333085 (via Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

+1 2127791697 (via Cuban Mission to UN)
Salutation: Su Excelencia/Your Excellency

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.

Information taken from Directorio Democrático Cubano report in Spanish