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MIAMI, Nov. 19.– DEFENSA CD, a new independent organization dedicated to monitoring repression in Cuba, celebrated its official launch last night at the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs (SIPA) – Building II at Florida International University (FIU). Before an audience composed of academics, journalists, community leaders, activists, and members of the Cuban diaspora, the institution presented its governing structure, its new lines of work, and unpublished data on repression patterns, the situation inside prisons on the island, and attacks on religious freedom.

As part of this new phase, DEFENSA CD announced the consolidation of its institutional independence, separating from the Pan-American Foundation for Democracy, and the creation of a Religious Freedom Observatory, which will expand its capacity for documentation and analysis on one of the most persecuted sectors in Cuba.

The event featured the participation of the Rapporteur for Cuba of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Commissioner Stuardo Ralón; the former political prisoner and coordinator of UNPACU, José Daniel Ferrer; and the founder of Cuba Decide and IACHR elected commissioner, Rosa María Payá.

During his intervention, Juan Carlos Vargas, Director of DEFENSA CD, outlined the strategic priorities of the organization:

"DEFENSA CD is established as an independent institution after years of trajectory as a project of the FDP's Incidents Reporting Center. Today, we present not only a new structure but also unpublished information on repression in Cuba, including the deterioration inside prisons and the persecution of religious leaders," affirmed Vargas. "Our commitment is unwavering: to expose the truth, accompany every victim, and provide indispensable data for international action."

Commissioner Stuardo Ralón highlighted the essential role of independent monitoring:

"The international community must address the systematic repression faced by activists, political prisoners, and religious communities in Cuba. Initiatives like DEFENSA CD provide rigorous and high-value evidence for bodies like the IACHR, allowing us to hold the Cuban regime accountable on solid bases."

For her part, Rosa María Payá emphasized the political and human importance of monitoring work:

"Cuba is experiencing a severe crisis of political repression and state abandonment that causes suffering and death. DEFENSA CD is an essential tool to protect victims and reveal what is happening inside Cuba. With a fully independent institutional identity, DEFENSA CD's documentation work complements the democratic struggle that Cuba Decide promotes and leads."

The meeting included a dialogue among the panelists and the presentation of the team that will lead this new institution, emphasizing the need to articulate efforts between civil society, victims, and international mechanisms to respond to the human rights crisis in Cuba.

DEFENSA CD documents, monitors, and denounces systematic repression in Cuba, offering accompaniment to victims and producing essential information for those who defend human rights, religious freedom, and democracy. The event was co-sponsored by FIU CasaCuba, Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs, Cuban Research Institute, Dorothea Green Lecture Series, and the Václav Havel Program for Human Rights & Democracy at FIU.

About DEFENSA CD

DEFENSA CD is an independent center dedicated to the monitoring, documentation, and denunciation of human rights violations in Cuba. Its mission is to make the repressive reality visible, protect victims, and provide high-quality analysis to the international community, including specialized information on prisons and religious freedom.

MEDIA CONTACT: Juan Carlos Vargas Email: contacto@defensacd.org
https://defensacd.org/blog/