Petition To the National Assembly of People’s Power of the Republic of Cuba / Wendy Iriepa and Ignacio Estrada

Havana, 26 June 2013

To the National Assembly of People’s Power of the Republic of Cuba:

The Constitution of the Republic of Cuba in its Article 63, reads verbatim:

All citizens have the right to lodge complaints and petitions to the authorities and to receive attention or pertinent responses within a reasonable time, in accordance with the law.

And in accordance with its letter and spirit, we the undersigned are addressing that maximum level of government in the nation with the following.

CITIZEN PETITION

According to principles reflected in the Preamble to the Yogyakarta Principles with regards to the application of international law of human rights in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity, and establishing that:

“RECALLING that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, and that everyone is entitled to the enjoyment of human rights without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status;

“DISTURBED that violence, harassment, discrimination, exclusion, stigmatisation and prejudice are directed against persons in all regions of the world because of their sexual orientation or gender identity…

“NOTING that international human rights law imposes an absolute prohibition of discrimination in regard to the full enjoyment of all human rights, civil, cultural, economic, political and social, that respect for sexual rights, sexual orientation and gender identity is integral to the realization of equality between men and women and that States must take measures to seek to eliminate prejudices and customs based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of one sex or on stereotyped roles for men and women…”

Considering that in our country such conceptions are still very far from being met within Cuban society and are not reflected in the legislation, we believe it appropriate to REQUEST:

  1. The official acceptance and compliance with the Agreements of Yogyakarta.
  2. That national authorities undertake a wide investigation of everything related to that negative event in our history known as Military Units to Aid Production (UMAP) and the results be published in the national media .
  3. That those responsible for these adverse events are brought to justice for the repeated and massive violation of human rights violation of an indefinite number of Cuban citizens.
  4. That the use and arbitrary application of the concept “state of dangerousnous” in the existing Criminal Code against persons for the sole “crime” of sexual orientation be publicly explained.
  5. That a public debate is opened on the forced exile many homosexual citizens were subjected to.
  6. That the violent deaths of some homosexuals on the streets or other locations be explained.

And, for your information, we are are submitting this issue to the People’s Power at that same time we open this document for signature by citizens who want to do so.

Wendy Iriepa Díaz
Ignacio Estrada Cepero

8 July 2013