Jorge Luis García Pérez "Antúnez" is one of Cuba’s foremost pro-democracy leaders. He spent 17 years as a political prisoner (1990 – 2007). Upon  his release he decided to remain in the island in order to continue the civic nonviolent struggle which he began within prison. Internationally recognized for his leadership of the civic resistance, he is the Secretary General of the Cuban National Civic Resistance Front, which brings together Cubans from throughout the island in civic defiance of the prevailing dictatorship.

Antúnez has been arrested and beaten on multiple occasions since his release in 2007 for continuing his nonviolent struggle.

On June 11, 2014, agents of the repressive police raided his home and arrested him and his wife Yris Tamara Perez Aguilera a fellow civic resistance leader. Beaten and mistreated they were released on the morning of June 13, 2014 and rearrested on the evening of June 15, 2014.  Antúnez has been held since then and subjected to multiple beatings. The Castro regime wants to charge him with crimes against the state in order to imprison and punish him.

By signing this petition we call upon UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay, and EU Foreign Minister Catherine Ashton  to demand that the Castro regime in Cuba comply with its obligations under international law, and with its obligations as an elected member of the UN Human Rights Council, to immediately release Jorge Luis García Pérez "Antúnez", and to cease and desist from any further acts of violence against him and his wife Yris Tamara Perez Aguilera.