CUBA

WHEREAS for 48 years the Cuban government has suppressed press freedom, the right to free expression and access to information for its citizens WHEREAS nothing has changed in the situation of journalism during the 14-month absence of ruler Fidel Castro and there are no prospects of change under the rule of acting leader Raúl Castro WHEREAS Twenty-seven journalists are in jail, most of them suffering from serious health problems, and the authorities have refused to release them for humanitarian reasons WHEREAS the government continues its repression of independent journalists including police threats, fines, raids of their homes, reprisals against their families, restrictions on travel within Cuba and prohibitions on emigrating WHEREAS in the past six months there has been an increase in police operations, coordinated by state agencies and neighborhood informers to dismantle the clandestine television networks that serve as an alternative to the state’s monopoly on information WHEREAS Principle 1 of the Declaration of Chapultepec says, “No people or society can be free without freedom of expression and of the press. The exercise of this freedom is not something authorities grant, it is an inalienable right of the people” WHEREAS Principle 4 of the Declaration of Chapultepec says “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 GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES to demand the unconditional release of all the incarcerated journalists and an end to government control over the media to demand an end to repression of independent journalists and their families to demand that the Cuban government allow the immediate departure of journalists who have received visas to emigrate to urge IAPA-member media outlets, or outlets friendly to the ideals of the IAPA as expressed in the Declaration of Chapultepec, to publish or air content to express solidarity with independent journalists who are behind bars or who suffer persecution or censorship as a result of their work as journalists.