Darsi Ferrer, a Doctor, a Dissident, a Humanitarian Hero

Dr. Darsi Ferrer, a Doctor, a Dissident, a Humanitarian Hero.

My blog's readers know Dr. Darsi Ferrer, the Cuban independent doctor
and peaceful dissident fighting against the regime, and its medical and
tourist apartheid.
Dr Darsi Ferrer challenged Mr. Michael Moore by showing the real
healthcare, the one reserved to ordinary Cubans. He has been victim of
numerous 'repudiation acts' and beatings by plainclothes agents of the
state security and the political police. By these and many other photos
show how his work is appreciated by the Cuban people.
Here he is seen delivering medicines and clothes to people living in
Havana's poorest neighborhood. This is part of the dissident's campaign
named "No to Social Exclusion". Such a campaign has been carried out
since more than one year and already involved many other neighborhoods.
In these moving pics, you can see the people's happiness, something
rarely seen in Castro's Cuba. Medicines, food and clothes distributed
are donated by the exiled movements.
I am posting this one early, and it is for good reason: Cuban political
prisoner Dr. Darsi Ferrer, one of the Castro regime's more effective and
eloquent critics, desperately needs the world to step up on his behalf
and demand that he be released from prison or at the least, receive a
fair court hearing on the so-called "charges" pending against him.
Ferrer, a physician, human rights activist and independent journalist,
has been jailed since his arrest July 21. No formal charges have been
filed, but he apparently has been accused with buying some cement and
other construction materials to repair his home.
Cuban law dictates that Ferrer should have had a court hearing by now,
the middle of October, but so far, none has been held. The lack of
anything resembling due process demonstrates this is a political, not
criminal, prosecution.
In protest of the "arbitrary" way officials are handling his case,
Ferrer on Oct. 13 declared that he had started a hunger strike,
according to an open letter released by his wife, which you can read below.
In her letter, Yusnaimy Jorge Sosa, describes various delays in the
proceedings against her husband. The case should have been resolved by
now, but Ferrer remains in jail.
"The government's intention is very clear: Keep Darsi in jail for
political reasons, without the slightest concern or regard for its own
laws," Jorge wrote.
Jorge implored the international community to stand up on behalf of her
husband.

Additional information:
* Freedom for Darsi Ferrer Petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/drferrer/petition.html
* Dr. Darsi Ferrer Ramirez, Cuban Political Prisoner
http://marcmasferrer.typepad.com/uncommon_sense/2009/10/darsi-ferrer-hunger-strike.html

Medicina Cubana: Dr. Darsi Ferrer, a Doctor, a Dissident, a Humanitarian
Hero. (5 December 2009)
http://medicinacubana.blogspot.com/2009/12/dr-darsi-ferrer-doctor-dissident.html