Cuba

WHEREAS restrictions on freedom of movement persist, both within the national territory and for departure from the country, through the application of the administrative designation of “regulated persons,” affecting independent journalists

WHEREAS the current legal framework continues to be used to criminalize free expression, and limitations on internet access, service interruptions, and restrictions on non-state providers remain in place

WHEREAS the lack of transparency in measures such as pardon prevents verification of the situation of individuals detained for political reasons

WHEREAS in the context of economic, social, and health crisis aggravated by the energy crisis, social protests have increased, in response to which repressive actions have also intensified

WHEREAS the Declaration of Chapultepec establishes in its first principle: “No people or society can be free without freedom of expression and of the press,” and that “the exercise of this freedom is not something authorities grant, it is an inalienable right of the people”; the fourth principle states that “the unjust imprisonment of journalists, the destruction of facilities, violence of any kind and impunity for perpetrators,” severely restrict freedom of expression; and the tenth principle states that “no news media nor journalist may be punished for publishing the truth or criticizing or denouncing the government”

WHEREAS that the Declaration of Salta II on Principles of Freedom of Expression in the Digital Age establishes in its third principle: “Governments should not inhibit, through regulation or action, access to the Internet and expressions of public interest in the digital space; nor should they impose aggravated sanctions against self-expression in that space nor penalize criticism;” and its fifth principle states: “Blocking and filtering access and/or content through state control in the digital space constitutes prior censorship, according to the American Convention on Human Rights.”

THE IAPA MIDYEAR MEETING RESOLVES

To condemn the systematic violations of freedom of expression and of the press in Cuba, as well as harassment, arbitrary detentions, surveillance, threats, and any form of intimidation and criminalization against journalists and independent media; content creators, and citizens exercising these rights

To demand the immediate release of independent journalists and other individuals linked to the information sphere

To request guarantees for the free exercise of journalism, including the legal recognition of independent journalists and media outlets, as well as unrestricted internet access, the elimination of censorship, and respect for the public’s right to receive information

To call for the cessation of movement and travel restrictions imposed on journalists under administrative designations

To urge the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the IACHR to continue monitoring the situation of press freedom in Cuba

To reiterate ongoing monitoring of the situation of journalists and independent media in Cuba and to denounce any new attack on press freedom.