Cuba: Youths held for wearing 'change' wristbands

Cuba: Youths held for wearing 'change' wristbands
November 2, 2007

JERUSALEM HAVANAWARSAW GUATEMALA CITY - Cuban police rounded up a group
of young people wearing white rubber wristbands stenciled with the word
"cambio," or "change," and held them for hours before releasing them
without filing charges, a human rights activist said Thursday.

The detentions, which took place Monday, went little-noticed on the
island but sparked an outcry three days later in Washington, where top
officials and critics of Cuba's communist government said at least 70
youths had been arrested.

Elizardo Sanchez, head of the Havana-based Cuban Commission on Human
Rights and National Reconciliation, said no formal charges were filed
and that most of the group was released after a short time, but that a
few may have been held until early Tuesday. In Washington, Commerce
Secretary Carlos Gutierrez on Thursday said 70 Cubans were arrested.
Gutierrez added that he himself wears the "change" wristband.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/cuba/sfl-flaworlddig11021nbnov02,0,661343.story