Earlier today in a courageous speech where Rosa María Payá highlighted crimes of the Cuban dictatorship, called for the rights of the Cuban people to live in democracy, she also made the case for expelling Cuba from the UN Human Rights Council in a two minute statement. The dictatorship’s spokesman, Cuban Ambassador Juan Antonio Quintanilla, then maligned the Cuban human rights defender. The video with Spanish subtitles provided by CubaDecide contains her statement, and dictatorship’s response.
Take action and join Rosa María Payá’s call to expel the Cuban dictatorship from the UN Human Rights Council by signing the petition, Expel Cuba from the UN Human Rights Council. Below is her statement in both English and Spanish.
Ms. Rosa María Payá, Cuba Decide and Ms. Julie Trebault, International PEN at the UN Human Rights Council
ITEM 6: UPR outcomes – Cuba, UPR Report Consideration
My name is Rosa María Payá, our citizen initiative Cuba Decide defends the right of the Cuban people to live in democracy, a right that is denied by the constitution imposed by the leaders in my country.
Mr. President, Cuba should be expelled from this Council for its serious and systematic violations of human rights.
In April 2022, Russia was expelled from this Council. Today we officially call for the same to be done with Cuba, under article 8 of United Nations Resolution 60/251. The Cuban government is an ally of Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine and facilitates the sending of young Cubans to the Russian army.
The Cuban government uses state terrorism against its citizens, using the following methods:
The government extrajudicially executes its opponents: The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ruled that the Cuban State is responsible for the murder of my father Oswaldo Payá, Cuban democratic leader, and Harold Cepero.
The government represses, imprisons and tortures those who think differently: There are more than 1000 people in prison in Cuba for expressing their opinion publicly. Among them Jose Daniel Ferrer, opposition leader systematically tortured and in danger of death.
The government violates fundamental human rights and prevents Cubans from prospering with the fruit of their labor, forcing the people into a deep humanitarian crisis.
Despite the hunger and repression imposed, hundreds of thousands of Cubans come out peacefully demanding a change of system to democracy.
We urge this Council to listen to the voices of our people and to demand that Cuban leaders submit to the sovereign will of the citizens. To this end, we urge the international community to demand that all electoral guarantees be respected in Cuba, including freedom of expression, association and access to information, the end of repression and the freedom of all political prisoners, with the objective of changing the system in a binding plebiscite and beginning the transition to democracy.
Mr. President, member states, it is time to stand with the Cuban people and expel Cuba from this Council.
TEMA 6: Resultados del EPU – Cuba, Consideración del Informe del EPU
Mi nombre es Rosa María Payá, nuestra iniciativa ciudadana Cuba Decide defiende el derecho del pueblo cubano a vivir en democracia, derecho que es negado por la constitución impuesta por los dirigentes en mi país.
Señor Presidente, Cuba debería ser expulsada de este consejo por sus violaciones graves y sistemáticas de los derechos humanos.
En abril de 2022, Rusia fue expulsada de este Consejo. Hoy llamamos oficialmente a que se haga lo mismo con Cuba, bajo el artículo 8 de la Resolución 60/251 de Naciones Unidas. El gobierno de Cuba es aliado de Rusia en su guerra de agresión contra Ucrania y facilita el envío de jóvenes cubanos al ejercito ruso.
El gobierno cubano emplea el terrorismo de estado contra sus ciudadanos, usando los siguientes métodos:
el gobierno ejecuta extrajudicialmente a sus oponentes: La comisión interamericana de derechos humanos sentencio que el estado cubano es responsable por el asesinato de mi padre Oswaldo Paya líder democrático cubano y de Harold Cepero.
el gobierno reprime, encarcela y tortura a los que piensan distinto: Hay mas de 1000 personas en prisión en cuba por manifestar su opinión públicamente. Entre ellos Jose Daniel Ferrer, líder opositor sistemáticamente torturado y en peligro de muerte.
El gobierno viola los derechos humanos fundamentales e impide a los cubanos prosperar con el fruto de su trabajo forzando al pueblo a una profunda crisis humanitaria.
A pesar del hambre y la represión impuestas, cientos de miles de cubanos salen pacíficamente exigiendo el cambio de sistema a la democracia.
Instamos a este Consejo a escuchar las voces de nuestro pueblo y a exigirle a los dirigentes cubanos que se sometan a la voluntad soberana de la ciudadanía. Para ello, instamos a la comunidad internacional a exigir que en Cuba se garantice el respeto todas las garantías electorales, incluida la libertad de expresión, asociación y acceso a la información, el fin de la represión y la libertad de todos los presos políticos, con el objetivo de cambiar el sistema en plebiscito vinculante e iniciar la transición a la democracia.
Señor Presidente, estados miembros, es hora de ponerse de parte del pueblo cubano y expulsar a cuba de este consejo.
CubaDecide, March 26, 2024
The Cuban regime confronts Rosa María Payá over the request for expulsion from the UN Human Rights Council
This Tuesday, Rosa María Payá requested before the United Nations Human Rights Council the expulsion of the Cuban regime.
The founder of the citizen initiative Cuba Decide, which promotes a change of system to democracy on the island, addressed the member states at the review session of the Cuban state before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
Rosa María echoed the demand for freedom that resonates in the peaceful protests on the streets of Cuba. The head of the Cuban regime’s delegation reacted in the room by offending Rosa María and UN Watch, the organization that granted her the floor.
In her intervention, Rosa María denounced the extrajudicial executions perpetrated by the regime, such as the murder of Oswaldo Payá and the imprisonment of more than 1000 Cubans for political reasons, including the critical situation of José Daniel Ferrer. Likewise, she denounced the alliance between the Cuban dictatorship and Putin’s regime in the war of aggression against Ukraine.
“We urge this Council to demand that Cuban leaders submit to the sovereign will of the citizens. To that end, we urge the international community to demand that Cuba release political prisoners and respect all electoral guarantees and fundamental human rights with the aim of conducting a binding plebiscite to change the system and initiate the transition to democracy.
Mr. President, it is time to stand with the Cuban people and expel their dictatorship from this council,” Rosa María Payá concluded.