Support for Cuban journalists

Dear Colleagues,

The core mission of the Inter American Press Association is the defense and promotion of press freedom in the Americas. At this time we are contacting all our members with a request to reinforce the support that this organization has been giving to the campaign against the lack of liberties in Cuba, where 24 independent journalists remain in prison and others suffer constant harassment for daring to exercise freedom of expression and of the press, fundamental rights enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Given recent developments in Cuba, resulting from President Fidel Castro’s temporary transfer of power to his brother and defense minister, Raúl Castro, and the absence of information in this regard, the situation has worsened for the independent press in that country. We believe this is the time to heighten our pressure for the immediate release of the jailed journalists, most of whom are suffering from chronic health problems and abuse in the prisons. We strongly suggest that our members consider publishing editorials demanding the release as the best message of solidarity that we can send to every journalist in the hemisphere, especially to the Cubans languishing behind bars and suffering persecution. For such editorials to have maximum effect, we suggest they all be run on the same day, and we propose to you that it be Friday, August 18.

At the same time it is important to call on the civil institutions in our own countries to request, through appropriate channels, the release of the independent journalists (jailed for crimes of conscience) and an end to the harassment to which the press operating without official consent is subjected. This initiative is born of t the special attention given in our organization’s reports on Cuba, available on the Web sites www.sipiapa.org and www.informecuba.com, in which details are given on violations of press freedom.

The imprisoned journalists, who are serving terms ranging from one to 27 years, are: Ricardo González Alfonso, Víctor Rolando Arroyo, Normando Hernández González, Julio César Gálvez, Adolfo Fernández Sainz, Omar Rodríguez Saludes, Héctor Maseda Gutiérrez, Mijaíl Barzaga Lugo, Pedro Argüelles Morán, Pablo Pacheco Ávila, Alejandro González Raga, Alfredo Pulido López, Fabio Prieto Llorente, Iván Hernández Carrillo, José Luis García Paneque, Juan Carlos Herrera, Miguel Galván Gutiérrez, José Ubaldo Izquierdo, Omar Ruiz Hernández, José Gabriel Ramón Castillo, Léster Luis González Pentón, Alfredo Felipe Fuentes, José Manuel Caraballo Bravo and Oscar Mario González.

In order to publish your editorials or op-ed pieces on our Web site on Cuba, www.informecuba.com, we would appreciate your sending them by e-mail to the IAPA office at [email protected] or [email protected].

We are confident we will receive the solid support of our member newspapers for this initiative, which in addition is aimed at making the general public aware of the plight of journalists in Cuba. We also expect our members will demonstrate great creativity in advancing this editorial and op-ed campaign.

We appreciate your commitment to press freedom and freedom of expression.

Sincerely,

Diana Daniels                                        Gonzalo Marroquín

President                                              Chairman, Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information 

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