POLICE ASSAULT DISSIDENT LEADER ANTUNEZ

C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 001136 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CCA E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2017 TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL SUBJECT: POLICE ASSAULT DISSIDENT LEADER ANTUNEZ REF: A. HAVANA 1081 ¶B. HAVANA 1087 ¶C. HAVANA 1094 ¶D. HAVANA 1102 ¶E. HAVANA 1134 Classified By: CDA: J. Williams : For reasons 1.4 b/d ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On 6 December opposition leader Jorge Luis Garcia Perez ("Antunez") while he planned for a peaceful march of activists in Placetas noticed that police vehicles were surrounding the area. He went to the corner in front of his home where he had planned to meet the 10 other participants in the march, and there at least ten state security officer confronted him. After an exchange of words, the state security agents struck him and used pepper spray on Antunez. His wife, Iris Perez went out and she was slapped by a police officer who also used pepper spray on her. Another policeman threatened Ms. Perez's thirteen year old son. Police took Antunez took the station and where they detained him for three hours then released him. In another development in Santiago de Cuba all fifteen of the persons taken into custody on 4 December in a police raid on a church have been released. End Summary. ¶2. (C) CDA and POL officers spoke by telephone on 7 December with Jorge Luis Garcia Perez ("Antunez") and his wife, Iris Perez. Antunez stated that on 6 December at about 18:00 he was organizing a peaceful march involving ten participants to commemorate Human Rights Day. He noticed at least two vehicles patrolling his neighborhood. At the corner in front of his home where he planned to meet the march participants, Antunez was accosted by at least ten state security agents. Antunez says that he questioned them as to their presence since his group only planned a peaceful march. Words were exchanged. Antunez stated that he said among other things, "Down with Fidel" and "Up with human rights". Antunez said that the police struck him in the street and used pepper spray on him. His wife, Iris Perez, came out. She said that a police officer struck her in the face with an open hand and used pepper spray on her. Another police vehicle stopped at the scene. Ms. Perez stated that a police officer from the vehicle was about to hit her thirteen year old son, who had also run out to the street, with a club but another officer told him not to do it because "he's only a child". ¶3. (C) Police brought Antunez to the station where he was held for 3 hours in an air conditioned room. Antunez was the only person taken into custody. He stated that officials at the station know that he has applied for a temporary exit visa (see REFTELs) but that he will never get this because he is a "trouble maker". Antunez said that he told the police he will continue with "the struggle" no matter what. He was released at about 21:00. ¶4. (C) In another development, all fifteen people taken into custody in a police raid on 4 December of a church in Santiago de Cuba (see REFTEL HAVANA 1134) have been released. ¶5. (C) Comment: This incident was one of several increasing violent attacks on peaceful protests that have been escalating as the commemoration of International Human Rights Day approach. USINT knows of several more protests activities planned over the next several days and is monitoring the situation closely. PARMLY