Over the weekend, GLA was informed that on Thursday, April 22, the Organization of American States (OAS)'s Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) granted precautionary measures to protect the young Cuban journalist Yoe Suárez, who has been suffering from repression and harassment for over a year.  You can read more in the press release below. 

On Friday, March 19, the Global Liberty Alliance (GLA) filed an application for Precautionary Measures with the Organization of American States' Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), on behalf of Cuban journalist Yoe Suárez. Mr. Suárez and his family have been suffering detentions, harassment, and threats over the past year. 

Read the GLA Press Release and cover letter for the filing below.

Today, the Global Liberty Alliance filed a complaint with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) on behalf of Jamshid Sharmahd, a California resident unlawfully imprisoned in Iran since the summer of 2020.

​Read the press release below.

In this GLA podcast, Jason Poblete speaks with international lawyer Ms. Emma Reilly, a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Human Rights Officer and whistleblower. Since 2013, Emma has been calling attention to a troubling practice at the UNHRC that has endangered the lives of dissidents and other human rights abuse victims who visit or testify at the UN. Despite well-documented evidence of wrongdoing by U.N. personnel, it took seven years for Ms. Reilly to secure whistleblower status. When she did, she was exiled to the U.N. bureaucracy's bowels to work on matters that appear designed to silence her and as retribution for standing up to Communist China and China’s supporters working in the UN system.  You can listen to the podcast here.

Today, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released a new report on the state of the santería (also known as Yoruba) tradition in Cuba. According to USCIRF, the report “provides a brief overview of the traditions of the Santeria community in Cuba and highlights the religious freedom violations that community experiences.” The report gives evidence of religious freedom violations against the Association of Free Yorubas that the Global Liberty Alliance uncovered, thanks to the support of Cuban civil society leaders.

On February 16, 2021, the Global Liberty Alliance (GLA) joined an international appeal of 177 organizations from 41 countries urging the International Committee of the Red Cross to deploy humanitarian aid to Western Sahara. 

​150 Members of the European Parliament, UK Parliament, French Parliament, Spanish Parliament, Swedish Parliament, Swiss Parliament and the Mauritanian Parliament also signed. This humanitarian appeal is supported by international figures and civil society leaders, including philosopher and cognitive scientist Professor Noam Chomsky, Seoul Peace Prize Laureate Suzanne Scholte, leader of the Tunisian labour Party and presidential candidate Hamma Hammami, writer and Professor Stephen Zunes.

​Yesterday, on February 17, 27 U.S. Senators led by Sens. Inhofe and Leahy sent a letter to President Joe Biden  asking that the U.S. reassert its commitment to a referendum for Saharawi self-determination. 

Read GLA's press release and the CODESA letter below.

In a report filed today with the Organization of American States's Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Global Liberty Alliance stated that Cuban journalist Roberto Quiñones suffered continued repression, harassment, threats, and surveillance by the Cuban regime, since his release from prison in September 2020. 

Today, the Global Liberty Alliance (GLA) was informed that a human rights complaint filed by Pastor Alayn Toledano, of the Assemblies of God Church, received reply from the Cuban government. Pastor Toledano has been restricted from traveling outside Cuba because of an alleged offense of “Disobedience,” and appealed this unjust travel restriction on January 19. The District Attorney’s Office responded that they were working on the case on January 29, the first time that Pastor Toledano has received a response to his inquiries. Legal representation secured by GLA seems to have made a difference this time.

In a show of courage, 15 Cuban priests spoke out against the regime's abuses, urging democracy and freedom for their country. GLA published their letter in English here.

​Read more at Breitbart News (English), Babalú Blog, and ADN Cuba (Spanish):

• https://www.breitbart.com/latin-america/2021/01/25/let-us-break-chains-cuban-priests-urge-rise-against-communism/
• https://babalublog.com/2021/01/24/catholic-priessts-in-cuba-pen-open-letter-calling-on-the-cuban-people-to-live-in-truth-and-freedom/
  
• https://adncuba.com/noticias-de-cuba/actualidad/catolicos-se-pronuncian-favor-de-libertades