Damas de Blanco
Damas de Blanco receive Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
The Ladies in White (Damas de Blanco) are an internationally acclaimed peaceful civic movement made up of wives and female relatives of jailed dissidents. Since 2003, they have consistently advocated for the release of political prisoners in Cuba by attending mass every Sunday wearing white clothing, to symbolise peace, and silently walking through the streets (of various town and cities in Cuba?). In 2005, the Ladies in White were awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought by the European Parliament.
2015 saw a number of rapid developments with respect to the diplomatic status of the island with the restoration of diplomatic relations with the United States. Human rights defenders remain vigilant, even if they are hopeful for change, and the government has yet to prove a commitment to human rights. The Cuban government controls all the media and those who advocate for freedom of expression are being constantly targeted for their legitimate human rights work.
