Cuba

One month after the massive protests in Cuba on July 11, we as human rights organizations reiterate our concern over the government’s repressive response. This response has resulted in serious human rights violations against protestors and further polarization among different segments of the population. It has also made dialogue and openness to listening to and addressing social demands impossible once again.

Cuban authorities should immediately and unconditionally release all detained journalists, stop disrupting internet access in the country, and allow the press to cover protests freely.

The undersigned organisations condemn the Cuban government’s repression of the citizen protests registered since 11 July 2021 and which continue to date.

“It can be no accident that nearly 50 independent Cuban journalists lost internet service on the same day,” said CPJ. “Cuban authorities must ensure that [ICLEP] employees have full access to the internet and can carry out their work without interference.”

Mass arrests come as Cuba has heightened its crackdown on dissident artists.

Cuban authorities should stop disrupting internet access in the country and allow journalists to cover protests freely.

Álvarez is a member of the local freedom of expression group the San Isidro Movement, and has recently reported on the government’s crackdown on protests organized by the movement.

Cuban authorities should stop harassing journalists and allow all citizens to access the internet without restriction.

Since November 16, approximately 14 activists, artists, and journalists have congregated at the MSI headquarters, under siege from state security forces. They are demanding the release of the musician Denis Solís González.

IFEX-ALC and the undersigned organizations demand that the Cuban government allows peaceful protests to take place, refrains from continuing to harass and interfere in the communication of those who participate in or report on them, and releases without any charge or punishment all those who have been arrested.

The undersigned organizations and media outlets support the petition and urge allies to demand that the Cuban government put an immediate stop to online surveillance of individuals who express their opinions and cease persecuting journalists and human rights activists.

Cuban authorities must drop the fine imposed on reporter Mónica Baró and refrain from using Decree 370 to harass independent journalists.

The undersigned civil society organizations express our profound concern and condemnation of the persecution against independent journalists and civil society actors in Cuba. This persecution has increased since the beginning of the year, particularly during the health crisis resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

Cuban authorities should stop barring journalist Luz Escobar from leaving her home, and cease harassing independent journalists in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.

On 11 September journalist Roberto de Jesús Quiñones Haces was detained in his home by three National Revolutionary Police agents (Policía Nacional Revolucionaria -PNR). They arrived at his home at 4:05pm to enforce the sentence imposed by Guantánamo city’s People’s Municipal Court, where he was accused of the crimes of resistance and disobedience.

On August 1st, journalist Roberto Jesús Quiñones Haces was summoned to appear as a defendant before the People’s Municipal Court in the city of Guantánamo, Cuba. On 7th August, he was prosecuted and sentenced to one year’s deprivation of liberty, converted to correctional labor with internment.