SUBJECT: Promoting Democracy and Human Rights in Cuba

Office of the Press Secrectary _______________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release April 13, 2009

April 13, 2009 MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE

The promotion of democracy and human rights in Cuba is in the national interest of the United States and is a key component of this Nation's foreign policy in the Americas. Measures that decrease dependency of the Cuban people on the Castro regime and that promote contacts between Cuban-Americans and their relatives in Cuba are means to encourage positive change in Cuba. The United States can pursue these goals by facilitating greater contact between separated family members in the United States and Cuba and increasing the flow of remittances and information to the Cuban people.

To pursue those ends, I direct the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to take such actions as necessary to:

(a) Lift restrictions on travel-related transactions for visits to a person's family member who is a national of Cuba by authorizing such transactions by a general license that shall:

Define family members who may be visited to be persons within three degrees of family relationship (e.g., second cousins) and to allow individuals who share a common dwelling as a family with an authorized traveler to accompany them; Remove limitations on the frequency of visits; Remove limitations on the duration of a visit; Authorize expenditure amounts that are the same as non-family travel; and Remove the 44-pound limitation on accompanied baggage. (b) Remove restrictions on remittances to a person's family member in Cuba by:

Authorizing remittances to individuals within three degrees of family relationship (e.g., second cousins) provided that no remittances shall be authorized to currently prohibited members of the Government of Cuba or currently prohibited members of the Cuban Communist Party; Removing limits on frequency of remittances; Removing limits on the amount of remittances; Authorizing travelers to carry up to $3,000 in remittances; and Establishing general license for banks and other depository institutions to forward remittances. (c) Authorize U.S. telecommunications network providers to enter into agreements to establish fiber-optic cable and satellite telecommunications facilities linking the United States and Cuba.

(d) License U.S. telecommunications service providers to enter into and operate under roaming service agreements with Cuba's telecommunications service providers.

(e) License U.S. satellite radio and satellite television service providers to engage in transactions necessary to provide services to customers in Cuba.

(f) License persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction to activate and pay U.S. and third-country service providers for telecommunications, satellite radio, and satellite television services provided to individuals in Cuba, except certain senior Communist Party and Cuban government officials.

(g) Authorize, consistent with national security concerns, the export or reexport to Cuba of donated personal communications devices such as mobile phone systems, computers and software, and satellite receivers through a license exception.

(h) Expand the scope of humanitarian donations eligible for export through license exceptions by:

Restoring clothing, personal hygiene items, seeds, veterinary medicines and supplies, fishing equipment and supplies, and soap-making equipment to the list of items eligible to be included in gift parcel donations; Restoring items normally exchanged as gifts by individuals in "usual and reasonable" quantities to the list of items eligible to be included in gift parcel donations; Expanding the scope of eligible gift parcel donors to include any individual; Expanding the scope of eligible gift parcel donees to include individuals other than Cuban Communist Party officials or Cuban government officials already prohibited from receiving gift parcels, or charitable, educational, or religious organizations not administered or controlled by the Cuban government; and Increasing the value limit on non-food items to $800. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

Note: Photo included.

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2009/s09040101.htm

Friday, April 17, 2009

State Prosecutor Asks For 7-Year Prison Sentence For Cuban Pastor

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries
CAMAGUEY, CUBA (ANS) — A State prosecutor has requested a seven-year prison sentence be given to Pastor Omar Gude Pérez, currently imprisoned in Camaguey, Cuba, on charges of “illicit economic activity and falsification of documents.”

Pastor Pérez with his wife Kenia before his arrest (Photo: Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), those close to him, however, believe he is being targeted because of his religious activity and leadership of a rapidly growing Christian movement. The prosecutor’s petition goes on to accuse the pastor of “counter-revolutionary conduct and attitudes.”

CSW says that Pastor Gude Pérez, a leader of a non-denominational, non-political religious movement in Cuba known as the “Apostolic Reformation,” has already spent almost one year in prison without being given a trial. He was first detained on May 22, 2008, and authorities originally attempted to charge him with “human trafficking.” These charges were thrown out last month, however, by a local court citing a complete lack of evidence. The case was then referred to Havana and last week the family was notified of the new charges.

“The pastor’s wife says the new charges are merely an attempt to disguise the fact that he is a victim of religious persecution,” said a CSW spokesperson. “She and others familiar with the case point to the fact that he and the family received threats and warnings to curtail their religious activities from government officials for months prior to his detention. A number of other leaders and members of their religious group have also received threats and been harassed by the authorities.

“Since Raul Castro took power in early 2008, there has been an increase in reported violations of religious liberty. Another pastor and denominational leader, Reverend Roberto Rodriguez, of Placetas, Cuba has also been the subject of legal proceedings against him and members of his family. This appears to be in retaliation for the withdrawal of the church group which Reverend Rodriguez leads from the Cuban Council of Churches in Autumn 2008.”

Reverend Stuart Windsor, National Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said, “The imprisonment of Pastor Gude Pérez is a clear case of religious persecution and is part of a larger crackdown on religious groups in Cuba. We call on the Cuban authorities to release him immediately and, in line with the protections laid out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which it signed last year, to guarantee the right to religious freedom for all groups.”

Note to Editors from CSW:

Pastor Omar Gude Pérez was detained in Camaguey on May 22, 2008 and subsequently charged with “Human Trafficking.” Following his imprisonment, government officials carried out a full inventory of his family’s home and threatened to confiscate their house and possessions. They have not yet followed through on these threats but the family feels extremely vulnerable.

The pastor’s wife, Kenia, is only allowed to visit her husband in prison every 21 days. She has complained that she is harassed by the guards when she visits. As in similar cases, the children are not allowed to visit their father.

After the charges of “human trafficking” were thrown out, Pastor Gude Pérez was charged with “illicit economic activity and falsification of documents”. Prosecutors have asked for a seven-year prison sentence and have cited his “counter-revolutionary” behavior and attitude. His wife says that the government is alleging that the family carried out illegal business activities on an internet connection that they have in their home. She says these allegations are untrue. The charge of falsification of documents apparently stems from the fact that the pastor’s mother only put down her last names on his birth certificate. His step-father later changed the documents to include his full name. The pastor’s wife says that the name change was done through the proper legal channels and that they have the documentation to prove this.

Pastor Gude Pérez is one of the main leaders of a non-denominational, non-political religious movement in Cuba known as the “Apostolic Reformation”. The group, which is comprised of independent self-governing non-denominational churches, outside of the traditional, officially recognized denominations, is apparently seen as a threat by the government. Many members of the Apostolic Reformation have made a deliberate decision to leave officially recognized churches and denominations, which usually have strong ties to their counterparts outside of Cuba. This lack of association therefore makes groups like the Apostolic Reformation particularly vulnerable to harassment. Church leaders have reported that their phones are tapped, leaders are watched and threatened, and many church members have been threatened with loss of employment if they do not leave these churches.

Pastor Gude Pérez, his family and their church had been receiving threats from government officials for months prior to his detention. They believe that he was targeted because of his position as one of three main leaders of the Apostolic Reformation. Prior to his imprisonment, Pastor Gude Pérez and his wife, Kenia, were working with another couple to start a small Bible school. As part of their ministry, the Apostolic Nations for Christ Movement, Pastor Gude Pérez and Kenia oversee several pastors and leaders across Cuba and have been working to train more leaders in order to grow the ministry.

It is significant that the charge of “human trafficking” is identical to that brought against Pastor Carlos Lamelas in 2006. His case was also judged by many in and outside of Cuba as aimed at curtailing his influence within his denomination and silencing his calls for increased religious freedom. The charges against Pastor Lamelas were eventually found by a Cuban judge to have no basis, but only after he had served four months in prison and almost a full year after his initial detention.

Note: CSW is a human rights organization which specializes in religious freedom, works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and promotes religious liberty for all.

For further information contact Theresa Malinowska, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on + 44 20 8329 0045, email theresamalinowska@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk

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