,,iii  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 ,,res4 #eca  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #e1 #bjbj,mr4    
,rubio 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,m55dez1 ,mr4   
,cruz1 ,mr4 ,c>d91 & ,mr4 ,scott (      
,florida7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign  
,relations  ,,resolution  ,honor+ ,las  
,damas de ,blanco1 a wom5-l$ nonviol5t  
movem5t 9 support ( fre$om & human      
rights 9 ,cuba1 & call+ = ! release (   
all political prison]s 9 ,cuba4  ,:]eas 
,las ,damas de ,blanco 7also kn[n z !   
,ladies 9 ,:ite7 is a gr\p compos$ (    
wives & relatives ( political prison]s1 
prison]s ( consci5ce1 & peaceful        
dissid5ts 9 ,cuba2 ,:]eas1 9 ,april     
#bjjc1 dur+ ! wave ( repression kn[n z !
 ,black ,spr+1 a gr\p ( /rong & c\rage\s
 wom5 =m$ ,las ,damas de ,blanco 9      
response to ! wrongful imprisonm5t ( _! 
family memb]s by ! ,cuban regime2 ,:]eas
 memb]s ( ,las ,damas de ,blanco cont9ue
 attempt+ to att5d ,sunday mass 9 !     
,*ur* ( ,santa ,rita de ,casia 9        

,havana1 & o!r *ur*es ?r\gh\t diff]5t   
prov9ces 9 ,cuba1 & !n m>* peacefully   
?r\gh ! /reets ( ,havana hold+ gladiolus
 despite ! ,cuban regime's con/ant ef=ts
 to block _! nonviol5t ex]cise ( fre$om 
( assembly & spee*2 ,:]eas memb]s ( ,las
 ,damas de ,blanco regul>ly m>* to      
advocate = ! release ( all political    
prison]s & ! fre$om ( ! ,cuban p2       
,:]eas1 despite ex]cis+ _! fundam5tal   
rights to fre$om ( expression &         
assembly1 memb]s ( ,las ,damas de       
,blanco are regul>ly attack$ by security
 =ces & mobs organiz$ by ! ,cuban       
regime2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to ,amne/y      
,int]national-- 7#a7 ,las ,damas de     
,blanco rema9s "o ( ! prim>y t>gets (   
repression by ,cuban ,gov]nm5t          
au?orities2 &  7#b7 memb]s ( ,las ,damas
 de ,blanco are frequ5tly deta9$ & (t5  
beat5 by law en=cem5t (ficials & /ate   
security ag5ts dress$ z civilians :ile 9
 det5tion2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to ! ,human  
,rights ,wat* #bjai ,_w ,report1 9 ,cuba
 det5tion is (t5 us$ preemptively to    

prev5t p f p>ticipat+ 9 peaceful m>*es  
or meet+s to discuss politics1 &        
deta9ees are (t5 beat51 ?reat5$1 & held 
incommunicado = h\rs or days2 ,:]eas !  
,human ,rights ,wat* #bjai ,_w ,report  
not$ t ,cuban ,police or /ate security  
ag5ts cont9ue to r\t9ely h>ass1 r\gh up1
 & deta9 memb]s ( ,las ,damas de ,blanco
 be=e or aft] !y att5d ,sunday mass2    
,:]eas1 9 #bjje1 ,las ,damas de ,blanco 
7 select$ to receive ! ,sakh>ov ,prize =
 ,fre$om ( ,?\ght1 b ! ,cuban regime did
 n all[ memb]s ( ! gr\p to leave ! isl& 
to accept ! aw>d2 ,:]eas ,laura ,ines   
,polln ,tol$o1 ! f\nd] ( ,las ,damas de 
,blanco1 left a legacy ( peaceful prote/
 aga9/ human & civil rights abuses 9    
,cuba2 ,:]eas ,laura ,ines ,polln ,tol$o
 di$ on ,octob] #ad1 #bjaa1 & :ile h]   
dea? g>n]$ widespread int]national      
att5tion1 ! ,cuban regime rema9$ sil5t2 
,:]eas1 9 ,febru>y #bjae1 #cj memb]s (  
,las ,damas de ,blanco 7 arre/$ 9 an    
attempt by ,cuban (ficials to b> ! wom5 
f p>ticipat+ 9 m>*es1 :i* s\ght to      

advocate = ! fre$om ( political prison]s
 9 ,cuba2 ,:]eas1 :ile ,ral ,ca/ro is no
 long] ! head ( ,cuba1 grave human      
rights abuses cont9ue "u ! curr5t       
,presid5t ( ,cuba1 ,miguel ,daz-,canel2 
,:]eas ,las ,damas de ,blanco has       
appeal$ to ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t &  
o!r =eign gov]nm5ts 9 ord] to br+       
int]national att5tion to ! repression ( 
dissid5ts by ! ,cuban regime & ! plight 
( political prison]s1 :o are r\t9ely    
jail$ unju/ly & )\t due process2 ,:]eas1
 on ,may #ag1 #bjah1 ,las ,damas de     
,blanco receiv$ ! pre/igi\s #bjah       
,milton ,fri$man ,prize = ,advanc+      
,lib]ty = ! brav]y ( ! gr\p & ! cont9u+ 
ef=ts ( ! gr\p to fight = individual    
fre$om 9 ,cuba2 ,:]eas ,b]ta de los     
,angeles ,sol] ,f]nndez & ,leticia      
,ramos ,h]r]ia1 memb]s ( ,las ,damas de 
,blanco1 7 prohibit$ by ! ,daz-,canel   
regime f leav+ ,cuba to accept ! #bjah  
,milton ,fri$man ,prize = ,advanc+      
,lib]ty 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas1 on   
,may #f1 #bjah1 ,aym>a ,nieto ,muoz1 a  

memb] ( ,las ,damas de ,blanco1 0       
viol5tly arre/$ & dur+ h] transf] 9 a   
patrol c>1 a uni=m$ cop beat h]1 caus+  
,nieto to require m$ical att5tion2      
,:]eas1 foll[+ #aj days ( conf9em5t 9 a 
cell ( ! ,santiago de las ,vegas-,la    
,habana1 ,aym>a ,nieto ,muoz 0 transf]r$
 to ,havana's wom5's prison1 kn[n z !   
,guatao1 & rema9s deta9$ p5d+ a trial = 
an alleg$ crime ( attack ) o!r prison]s 
arre/$ = petty crimes2 ,:]eas x is !    
second "t t ,aym>a ,nieto ,muoz1 has be5
 imprison$ = political reasons1 & dur+ a
 politically *>g$ trial on ,june #c1    
#bjag1 %e 0 s5t5c$ to "o ye> ( prison = 
an alleg$ crime ( public disord]2       
,:]eas1 9 ,m>* #bjah1 ,m>ta ,sn*ez      
,gonzlez 0 arre/$ = peacefully prote/+ &
 transf]r$ to a wom5's prison a mon?    
lat]2 ,:]eas1 on ,augu/ #bjah1 ,m>ta    
,sn*ez ,gonzlez fac$ a rigg$ trial & 0  
s5t5c$ to #d ye>s & #f mon?s (          
imprisonm5t alongside prison]s = common 
crimes2 ,:]eas1 ?r\gh\t #bjai1 ,las     
,damas de ,blanco exp]i5c$ c\ntless     

arre/s1 acts ( repression1 & viol5t     
attacks int5d$ to imp]il _! physical &  
m5tal /ate z a result ( _! peaceful     
advocacy ( ! release ( all political    
prison]s2 ,:]eas ! total numb] ( arre/s 
9 #bjai conduct$ by ! ,cuban ,police    
aga9/ ,las ,damas de ,blanco is #a1abj1 
includ+ ^? ( ,b]ta ,sol] ,f]nndez1 :o   
has be5 con/antly h>ass$1 viol5tly      
attack$1 & deta9$ = l5g?y p]iods ( "t1 &
 ,xiom>a de las ,m]c$es ,cruz ,mir&a1 :o
 0 imprison$ 9 #bjah2 ,:]eas1 ^u ent]+  
prison ! fir/ "t on ,april #ae1 #bjaf1  
,ms4 ,cruz ,mir&a 0 9 good heal?1 b aft]
 be+ s5t to prison = ! second "t 9      
#bjah1 %e acquir$ a r>e sk9 disease 9 ! 
wom5's prison 9 ,ciego de vila & h]     
heal? began to be affect$ by sev]al     
conditions1 includ+ tub]culosis1 :i*    
sev]ely damag$ h] respiratory sy/em & h]
 m5tal & physical heal?2 & ,:]eas ,ms4  
,cruz ,mir&a rema9$ hospitaliz$ = m ?an 
#f mon?s 9 ,cuba1 & aft] h] heal?       
condition fail$ to /abilize1 %e 0       
admitt$ to ,jackson ,s\? ,hospital 9 !  

,city ( ,miami on ,janu>y #bjbj1 ?anks  
to a humanit>ian visa grant$ by ! ,unit$
 ,/ates ,gov]nm5t3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t !
 ,s5ate-- 7#a7 honors ! c\rage\s memb]s 
( ,las ,damas de ,blanco = _! peaceful  
ef=ts to speak up = ! voiceless & /& up 
to ! ,cuban regime 9 def5se ( human     
rights & fundam5tal fre$oms1 su* z      
fre$om ( expression & assembly2  7#b7   
recognizes ! brave lead]s ( ,las ,damas 
de ,blanco1 includ+ ,m>ta ,sn*ez &      
,aym>a ,nieto ,muoz1 :o are curr5tly 9  
prison due to _! peaceful activism2     
7#c7 expresses solid>ity ) ! ,cuban p & 
a commitm5t to ! democratic aspirations 
( ^? ,cubans call+ = a free ,cuba2  7#d7
 calls on ! ,cuban regime to all[ memb]s
 ( ,las ,damas de ,blanco to att5d      
weekly masses & travel freely bo?       
dome/ically & int]nationally2 &  7#e7   
calls = ! release ( all political       
prison]s deta9$ & imprison$ by ! ,cuban 
regime4