[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1172 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1172

  Calling for the release of Cuban political prisoner Silverio Portal 
                               Contreras.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 1, 2020

 Ms. Mucarsel-Powell (for herself, Ms. Shalala, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, 
Mr. Sires, Mr. Soto, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Crist, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, Mr. 
 Mast, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Kind, Mr. Schneider, 
Mr. Lawson of Florida, Mr. Payne, and Ms. Wilson of Florida) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Calling for the release of Cuban political prisoner Silverio Portal 
                               Contreras.

Whereas Silverio Portal Contreras is a 57-year-old, Afro-Cuban, social activist 
        who has supported various movements in Cuba that advocate for freedom 
        and democracy, including the Ladies in White;
Whereas Mr. Portal Contreras was arrested in June of 2016 in Havana for 
        participating in a public protest regarding the Cuban Government's 
        failure to repair dilapidated buildings that placed the public at risk 
        for harm, and for shouting ``down with Fidel Castro, down with Raul'';
Whereas, in June of 2018, as a result of his participation in this protest, Mr. 
        Portal Contreras was prosecuted by authorities for ``contempt'', a 
        charge that is frequently used to criminalize criticism of public 
        officials in Cuba, and for ``public disorder'';
Whereas, in July of 2018, Mr. Portal Contreras was sentenced to four years in 
        prison after a closed-door trial;
Whereas the health of Mr. Portal Contreras has rapidly and severely deteriorated 
        since being imprisoned as a result of inadequate medical care, as well 
        as instances of willful neglect and even intentional harm directed 
        toward Mr. Portal Contreras by security officials;
Whereas shortly after being imprisoned, Mr. Portal Contreras suffered a seizure 
        that rendered him unconscious after having repeatedly requested medical 
        attention that was denied for over four hours;
Whereas as a result of poor medical attention and a failure of prison officials 
        to address his needs, Mr. Portal Contreras's life has been placed in 
        danger while in prison and he has suffered several transient ischemic 
        attacks (TIAs) that have caused paralysis on the left side of his body;
Whereas Mr. Portal Contreras has been the subject of threats and physical 
        attacks while in prison, including in May of 2020 when Mr. Portal 
        Contreras was reportedly left blinded in one eye following an attack he 
        suffered at the hands of security personnel;
Whereas Mr. Portal Contreras' petitions requesting that he be released due to 
        his deteriorating health were denied by the Government, with one court 
        ruling that ``his current state of health is compatible with the 
        penitentiary regime'';
Whereas Lucinda Gonzalez Gomez, the spouse of Mr. Portal Contreras, has had no 
        contact with Mr. Portal Contreras since June of 2020 and has been 
        refused information about his health status from Cuban authorities in 
        violation of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment 
        of Prisoners;
Whereas Amnesty International has designated Mr. Portal Contreras a ``Prisoner 
        of Conscience'', who has been deprived of his liberty solely for 
        peacefully exercising his basic rights, and has called for his immediate 
        and unconditional release;
Whereas, on November 29, 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution 
        recognizing Mr. Portal Contreras as a political prisoner persecuted and 
        arbitrarily detained in Cuba, and called on Cuban authorities to 
        immediately release ``all political prisoners and those arbitrarily 
        detained solely on the grounds of exercising their freedom of expression 
        and assembly''; and
Whereas, on July 18, 2020, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights adopted 
        a resolution in which it granted precautionary measures on behalf of Mr. 
        Portal Contreras and urged Cuban authorities to protect the life and 
        liberties of Mr. Portal Contreras: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of 
        political prisoner Silverio Portal Contreras and the provision 
        of urgently needed medical attention;
            (2) condemns the politically motivated imprisonment of 
        dissidents in Cuba and calls for the release of all those who 
        have been arbitrarily detained due to their advocacy for human 
        rights and democracy; and
            (3) urges the lifting of all legal restrictions that impose 
        limitations on the exercise of freedom of expression and 
        association in Cuba.
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