Miami (March 19, 2004).- The Inter American Press Association (SIP) protests the harassment of wives and relatives of the imprisoned independent journalists by journalists from the Cuban government.
Miami (March 19, 2004).- The Inter American Press Association (SIP) protests the harassment of wives and relatives of the imprisoned independent journalists by journalists from the Cuban government.
Blanca Reyes, wife of Raúl Rivero, complained to the IAPA that journalists from CHTV television station came to her house last Sunday. "Reporter Ronaldo Segura and a cameraman asked to do an interview, but I did not let them in my house and I told them that if they wanted an interview they would have to invite the foreign press or give me the unedited tape," Reyes said referring to the possibility that information that she gave may be altered.
When the journalists insisted, Reyes exclaimed, "Why did you not interview us when they put Raúl in jail and during the past year."
Several relatives of the jailed journalists and dissidents were interviewed, but they fear that the information will be used as propaganda for the Cuban government.
Chairman of the Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, Rafael Molina,
expressed IAPAs support of a letter from Blanca Reyes, read during the organizations
Midyear Meeting, in which she thanks the IAPA for keeping the name of Raúl
Rivero and the other imprisoned
journalists on the international public agenda.
Molina, from El Nacional, in the Dominican Republic, added that during the meeting, held on March 12-15, in Los Cabos, Mexico, the IAPA approved a resolution on Cuba that demands "the immediate release of the imprisoned journalists and the end of harassment of independent professionals."
For more information, please visit: www.sipiapa.org.
Below is the complete text of the resolution:
Cuba
WHEREAS
there has been no freedom of expression in Cuba for 44 years
WHEREAS
the Cuban government is holding 32 independent journalists in poor conditions,
with terrible food and insufficient medical care, subjected to physical and
psychological mistreatment
WHEREAS
Raúl Rivero, a member of the IAPA Board of Directors and regional vice
chairman of the Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, is among
those serving long sentences
WHEREAS
UNESCO awarded the World Press Freedom Prize to Raúl Rivero, a member
of the IAPA Board of Directors and regional vice chairman of the Committee on
Freedom of the Press and Information
WHEREAS
a dozen of the imprisoned journalists, most of them elderly, are seriously ill,
and six of them are hospitalized with life-threatening conditions
WHEREAS
journalists Carlos Alberto Domínguez, Léster Téllez Castro
and Carlos Brizuela have been in custody for more than two years without going
to trial in an obvious violation of their rights
WHEREAS
the authorities are continuing a relentless policy of harassment, searches of
homes, temporary detentions, fines and even violent attacks in the street against
about 30 independent journalists who remain active in the country, defying the
police repression
WHEREAS
the government, through a new resolution by the Computer and Communications
Ministry (MIC), has put up a new barrier restricting Cubans already limited
access to the Internet, preventing access to the Web through the state telephone
system, which is the only one available on the island
WHEREAS
Principle 2 of the Declaration of Chapultepec says, "Every person has the
right to seek and receive information, express opinions and disseminate them
freely. No one may restrict or deny these rights"
WHEREAS
Principle 4 of the Declaration of Chapultepec says, "Freedom of expression
and of the press are severely limited by murder, terrorism, kidnapping, pressure,
intimidation, the unjust imprisonment of journalists, the destruction of facilities,
violence of any kind and impunity for perpetrators. Such acts must be investigated
promptly and punished harshly"
THE MIDYEAR MEETING OF THE IAPA RESOLVES
to demand the immediate release of the imprisoned journalists and the end of
harassment of independent professionals who try to disseminate their ideas,
opinions and news inside and outside the country
to congratulate itself on the awarding of the 2004 World Press Freedom Prize
by UNESCO to Raúl Rivero, and recommend that on Press Freedom Day, May
3, 2004, all members pay tribute to Rivero, our colleague in Cuban prison, and
once again demand his release
to request the intervention of democratic governments, humanitarian, professional and religious institutions and the international community to demand expedited release and adequate medical treatment for the sick and elderly journalists whose lives are at risk under conditions in the prisons
to demand the suspension of government bans that increase state control on
use of the Internet and bar Cuban citizens from options for free access to information
provided by the new communications technologies.
FUENTE: nota.texto7
