Cuba

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Resolution of the Midyear Meeting Quito, Ecuador WHEREAS In Cuba press freedom has been supressed for 46 years WHEREAS The government continues to keep 25 journalists in jail, including a woman, reporter Lamasiel Gutiérrez Romero WHEREAS 18 imprisoned journalists suffer serious health problems, two of them currently hospitalized, and officials refuse to release them for humanitarian reasons WHEREAS Prison conditions are unhealthy and overcrowded, and prisoner suffer from poor nutrition, lack of medical attention, and are forced to live together with dangerous prisoners WHEREAS Four journalists released in 2004 for health reasons have been denied permits to emigrate from the country, and two of them have been subpoenaed by the courts and threatened being thrown back in jail WHEREAS journalist Oscar Mario González, 62 years old, has been detained since July 22 without having charges presented by authorities nor the opportunity to be released on bail WHEREAS Police intimidation, government retaliation, temporary detentions, house arrests, and harassment from government security forces prevail WHEREAS That independent journalists in Cuba work in overwhelmingly poor conditions, without sufficient resources nor access to information technologies WHEREAS The use of the Internet in Cuba is controlled by the government, which prevents citizens from accessing the Web, which is the reason for a lengthy hunger strike by reporter Guillermo Fariñas, currently in serious health WHEREAS Principle 4 of the Declaration of Chapultepec states: “Freedom of expression and of the press are severely limited by murder, terrorism, kidnapping, 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 IAPA MIDYEAR MEETING RESOLVES To demand the unconditional release of all imprisoned journalists and to put an end to government retaliations against the independent press To demand the immediate release of 18 journalists who are ill and have not been released for humanitarian reasons To demand the unconditional release of Oscar Mario González To call for the issuing of the permit to emigrate for four formerly imprisoned journalists for health reasons and to put an end to government threats against them To call for free access to the Internet for independent journalists and all citizens that seek to receive and share information and opinions without facing government regulations on the use of the web.

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