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CPJ urges Castro to end
persecut ion of independent press
The sent the following
letter to Cuban President Fidel Castro,
urging him to end persecution of independent
press
Committee
to Protect Journalists.
December 13, 2005
His Excellency Fidel Castro Ruz
President of Cuba
C/o Cuban Mission to the United Nations
New York, NY 10016-2606
Via facsimile: 212-779-1697
Your Excellency:
The Committee to Protect Journalists is
gravely concerned about your government's
practice of imprisoning journalists in reprisal
for their work. Twenty-four Cuban reporters,
writers, and editors were behind bars on
December 1, 2005, making your country the
world's second-leading jailer of journalists,
behind only China, CPJ found in an analysis
released today. Two Cuban journalists were
imprisoned during the year, joining 22 others
who have been jailed since a massive March
2003 crackdown on the independent press.
According to CPJ research, jailed journalists
suffer from harassment, humiliating prison
conditions, and psychological pressures.
Many remain far from their homes, adding
to the heavy burden on their families. Journalists
and family members have cited unsanitary
prison conditions, inadequate medical care,
and insufficient diet. Several are in cells
with common criminals; others are in isolation.
Many of the journalists are allowed family
visits only once every three months and
marital visits only once every four months.
Relatives are harassed for talking to the
foreign press, protesting the journalists'
incarceration, and gathering signatures
calling for their release.
Journalists who were ill before being jailed
have seen their health worsen in prison,
while others who were in good health have
developed illnesses. Some have started hunger
strikes to protest poor conditions. In retaliation,
prison authorities have transferred journalists,
limited outside contact, and withheld information.
As a result, families have been unable to
monitor the journalists' health.
The imprisonment of these journalists
in reprisal for their independent reporting
violates international law, including Article
19 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, which guarantees everyone "the
right to seek, receive, and impart information
and ideas through any media and regardless
of frontiers."
We urge you to release all of the detained
journalists immediately and unconditionally,
and we call on the Cuban government to respect
international guarantees for free expression
and to stop persecuting the independent
press.
Sincerely,
Ann Cooper
Executive Director
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