A visit of Bertha Antunez Pernet to Vilnius was organized by Eastern Europe Studies Centre (EESC) in cooperating with People In Need (PIN, Czech Republic) and Directorio Democratico Cubano (DDC, United States).
Bertha Antunez Pernet is a leader of the National Movement of Civic Resistance "Pedro Luis Boitel”, she's been struggling for the rights of the political prisoners for 16 years. During all this time she and her family suffered severe regime's politics. In February 2008 she has left Cuba and joined the Cuban exile community in Miami as a political refugee.
On the 7th of May Bertha had a meeting with the society (mainly students) and journalists at the Institute of the International Relations and Political Sciences of Vilnius University.
The meeting started with the view of the documentary film "Voices from the island of freedom” which has introduced the participants of this meeting into the human rights issues in Cuba.
Bertha spoke on various issues: human rights situation in Cuba, activities of the resistance movements and opposition on the island, situation of the political prisoners, regime's mechanisms of control, surveillance, punishments etc. as well as general political situation in Cuba. She has also introduced the Campaign for the Adoption of Cuban Political Prisoners.
The participants had many questions for Bertha, mainly focusing on the possible/future changes after Raul Castro became president. Also there were questions about the impact of the changes/permissions introduced by the government about the acquisition of cell phones and computers, as well as permission for Cubans to rent a room in the hotels.
After the meeting the journalists were invited to continue the conversation/interview in one of the Vilnius coffee-houses with a cup of coffee or tea. The results of this meeting for the moment are two articles about Cuba in Lithuanian press: the first in a daily newspaper "Respublika” and later it was re-published in digital-news portal www.balsas.lt; the second one in a weekly newspaper "Atgimimas” which has its digital version at the following address www.atgimimas.lt. 

On the 8th of May Bertha was welcomed at the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas). She had a reunion with three members of Parliament: - Kestutis Glaveckas (Liberals Movement Political Group) - Chairman of the Parliamentary Group for the Relations with Cuba.
- Rimantas Basys (Labour Party Political Group) - Member of the Parliamentary Group for the Relations with Cuba.
- Alfredas Pekeliunas (Peasants and People's Political Group) - Vice Chairman of Lithuanian Parliament.
Bertha presented the current situation of the political prisoners in Cuba as well as the Campaign for the Adoption of Cuban Political Prisoners, also the activities of the Cuban resistance movement, the common situation and the mood of the Cuban society. The members of the parliament also inquired about the political situation after Raul Castro became President and the perspectives of the changes in Cuba.
To sum up, the reunion with the Parliament members was quite solid. The parliamentarians showed interest in the situation in Cuba and appreciated the alternative (non-official) opinion and information about it. See photos.