Havana, Cuba, Jul 6, 2010 / 10:12 pm (CNA).- The coordinator of the Christian Liberation Movement, Oswaldo Paya, is demanding the Castro government not mislead the Cuban people about the reasons for which political prisoner Guillermo Farinas is on a hunger strike. The motive behind his strike, says Paya, is to demand respect for the human rights of all Cubans.
The official Communist daily Granma reported that Farinas, who is in a hospital in Santa Clara, is at risk of starving to death. Paya says the newspaper is hiding the fact that he is putting his life on the line in this way for the release of other prisoners of conscience.
“We must remember that Farinas is on a hunger strike in order to demand the release of those who are unjustly imprisoned for merely peacefully defending the rights of Cubans,” Paya explains.
The CLM leader also criticizes the government for “bragging” about how much it is paying to care for Farinas, noting that medical care “is paid for all Cubans by our work, our taxes and our poverty.”