“U.S Congressman Jeff Flake (R-AZ), a leading actor in the House Cuba Working Group, a bipartisan fifty-member coalition that supports easing U.S. sanctions against Cuba, introduced a resolution before the Congress on March 26, 2003, calling for the Cuban government to release all detainees and to respect internationally recognized human rights standards…Cuba’s actions have sparked outcry from human rights organizations, independent journalists and high-profile international figures. U.S. president George [W.] Bush and former president Jimmy Carter have each issued separate statements opposing the detentions. Former president Carter said in his statement, ‘I call on the Cuban government to respect those rights and to refrain from detaining or harassing citizens who are expressing their views peacefully.’ Amnesty International issued an ‘Action Alert’, and other international bodies have denounced Cuba’s actions, including the Swedish Parliament and at the United Nations, where Peru introduced a resolution critical of Cuba at a human rights meeting.”
“Embargo Update: Overview of Recent Developments,” Cuba Policy Foundation, March 28, 2003