14ymedio, Havana, 12 June 2016 – This Sunday there was, again, a operation around the Ladies in White headquarters in the Lawton area of Havana, organized by the National Revolutionary Police (PNR), State Security agents and civilians called up for Rapid Response Brigades.
Lady in White Luisa Ramona Tuscany told 14ymedio via phone that “as they left the house” at 2:00 pm all of them were harassed by “mobs” and that they were arrested “while shouting slogans and carrying their banners.”
Ramona detailed that, in total, 18 people, “seven [other] activists and eleven Ladies [in White]” who left [for Santa Rita Church] from the Lawton site this Sunday. Among those arrested were some from other provinces “who had been here from a day or two earlier” said the same source, who reported that Berta Soler [leader of the group] “was also detained” as was the former prisoner of the Black Spring case of the 75, Angel Moya.
Among those arrested on leaving the Lawton headquarters site were members of a delegation from Santiago de Cuba, including Bizmaira Amelo Jardines and Santa Fernandez Diaz. Also arrested was Maribel Hernandez Garcia who, according to Luisa Ramona, “already reported in” by phone to say “that she was released at the stroke of 9:30 pm in the detention area of Tarara, where they were taken.”
According to Luisa Ramona, approximately seven Ladies in White and independent journalist Yuri Valle Roca reached Santa Rita Church. She said that the journalist is being held at the Santiago de las Vegas station, along with Ladies in White María Cristina Labrada, Lismery Quintana, Daysi Artiles and Suarmi who were able to reach Santa Rita.
Several Sundays ago many members of this group were prevented from reaching the Mass and later meeting up with other activists who support them at the end of their march. These representatives of different opposition organizations have joined this initiative for more than 55 Sundays.