“Courage is something that you have to feel to be able to face the dictatorship, which has no limits for cruelty or terror.”
Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello has been a Cuban political dissident and leading proponent of human rights and religious freedom in Cuba for more than four decades, during which she has founded and led several prominent human rights and democracy organizations. As the only woman among 75 persons imprisoned during the Black Spring in 2003, Ms. Roque was sentenced to 20 years in prison, serving a portion before being released for medical reasons. Following her release, Ms. Roque continued to advocate for human rights by maintaining contact with political prisoners, documenting fraudulent court hearings, and providing material support to activists and their families. As a result of her human rights work, the Cuban government has harassed and surveilled her daily for decades. Ms. Roque is one of the longest standing members of the historic opposition fighting for greater freedoms in Cuba.