The Call of the International Committee to Defend the Life and Liberty of Armando Alonso Romero

This is the initiating statement of the international campaign to release Armando Alonso Romero. Our challenge is to go out to the international community and reach people so that many more people can speak out on this outrage, and also to deepen our campaign so that our goal can be accomplished.

Armando Alonso Romero is the Cuban Harry Wu. He has been found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crime of collecting reports of human rights violations inside of Cuba.

There is every reason to fear for the life of Armando Alonso Romero at the hands of one of the world's bloodiest totalitarian dictatorships. The Castro regime has repeatedly murdered its civilian dissidents, from the 41 men, women, and children butchered in cold blood on July 13, 1994, the slow motion murder of Sebastian Arcos Bergnes, and the thousands more executed, tortured, and imprisoned over the past 37 years of the Cuban regime's existence. The Cuban Constitution has institutionalized the systematic denial of basic human rights.

Mr. Romero has been suffering beatings and is in a very poor state of health, and is being denied medical care. Armando Alonso Romero must be freed! Print this form to add your name, join the ICDLL today, and e-mail us with your name and mailing address including your profession


Romero's Background

Armando Alonso Romero left his job as an officer in the Cuban merchant fleet to join the Cuban Committee for Human Rights (CCFHR) in the late 1980's. He worked with the Cuban committee -a peaceful human rights organization- [continue]

Putting His Arrest Into Context

Romero's case bears a remarkable similarity to the Chinese dissident, Harry Wu, who was arrested in China in 1995 under a similar incident. Harry Wu was released by Chinese authorities after widespread international protest. Romero has been in prison since 1993.[continue]

What Else Can You do?

Armando Alonso Romero's health is in a very poor state of health, and he is being denied medical care. In addition, Armando Alonso Romero has been denied access to a lawyer of his choice. Finally, we are requesting that any charges brought against him in connection with his attempts to peacefully exercise his right to freedom of expression and entry be dropped and that he be released immediately. [continue]