The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Cuban exile protest group Democracy Movement will relaunch its protests against the Bahamas early next year if the Cuban detainee abuse trial hearings do not resume in January, Democracy Movement leader Ramon Saul Sanchez told The Tribune yesterday.

His comments come after The Tribune reported earlier this month that the trial to determine if Defence Force officers abused Cuban detainees at the Detention Centre this summer has been postponed until next year so officials can address issues related to the trial.

In response to the stalled proceedings Mr Sanchez promised renewed action from his group, claiming that the Bahamian government is trying to “cover-up” the “unjust abuse that took place” here.

He said he met with eleven executive members of his group on Saturday.

He added that although they are all disappointed that the trial has been stalled, they have decided to excuse the government for a short time after considering the effects the “busy holiday season” may be having on its operations.

In the meantime, he said his group will continue to perform its own “personal inquiries and gather testimonies from people to strengthen” their case.

But if the trial doesn’t resume in January, he said his group will begin taking their case to “international entities.”

When The Tribune yesterday asked Lt Origin Deleveaux, Public Relations officer for the Defence Force, for an update on the status of the trial, he said it remains unclear when the trial will resume.