Tuesday, October 18, 2011

LEADER OF CUBAN WOMEN'S DISSIDENT GROUP DEAD

Photo of Laura Pollán. Laura Pollan with a broken arm and a cast. Her injury was the result of a police beating in reprisal for her demand to liberate all political prisoners in Cuba. In the picture, taken days before her hospitalization, Pollán is leading a street demonstration while signalling the 'L' for 'libertad/freedom.' For the past 3 years, Pollán suffered almost constant harassment campaign of Hate Mobs, organized by the Cuban government. Picture also referred in news blog: 'Notica de Noticias'

Last Friday night, Laura Pollán a dissident leader and founder of the group Ladies in White died of a “heart attack” in the Calixto Garcia hospital in Havana. The Ladies in White were founded in the spring of 2003. They protest the incarceration of hundreds of Cubans for political reasons during the so called “Dark Spring” of 2003. Over the past years, Pollán had been at the forefront of popular protests throughout the streets of Havana pressuring the Raul Castro regimen to liberate all political prisoners as well ending the laws and institutions responsible for putting disaffected Cubans under bars. Pollán was hospitalized with a “rare” respiratory disease. In the process of her hospitalization she was diagnosed with Dengue and 8 days latter was report by Cuban authorities to have died of a “heart attack.” Her husband Hector Maceda (a political prisoner) declared his intention to investigate his wife’s death and any possible government involvement in it.

Since late February, 2002, Orlando Zapata and Wilfredo Soto, two Cuban political opponents have died as a result of brutal police beatings.

Source: Miami Herald, Pollán, founder of the Ladies in White, dies of heart attack

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