Cuba

WHEREAS the repression of independent journalism in Cuba was demonstrated once again as a result of the Varela Project, which requested a democratic plebiscite on the basis of existing legislation WHEREAS as a result of this project, the Cuban government called an emergency plebiscite to incorporate a text declaring socialism “irrevocable” in the Constitution, and the state media unleashed an intense propaganda campaign in favor of it, even as the government blocked all possibility of spreading news about the Varela Project WHEREAS independent journalists Bernardo Arévalo Padrón, Léxter Téllez Castro, Carlos Brizuela and Carlos Alberto Domínguez are still in jail and many others are systematically harassed with searches, calls for intimidation, temporary detentions, warnings, fines and forcible expulsions from places where they go to do their professional work WHEREAS the Cuban government prevents independent journalists from traveling abroad to get training or exchange ideas and opinions freely, and denies them access to the necessary tools to disseminate their news, ideas and opinions inside and outside the island WHEREAS Principles 4, 5 and 10 of the Declaration of Chapultepec declare that “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” and that “Prior censorship, restrictions on the circulation of the media or dissemination of their reports, forced publication of information, the imposition of obstacles to the free flow of news, and restrictions on the activities and movements of journalists directly contradict freedom of the press” and that “No news medium nor journalist may be punished for publishing the truth or criticizing or denouncing the government” THE IAPA GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLVES to condemn the violation of the Cuban people’s right to obtain information about matters that concern them and to protest the openly propagandistic conduct of the government media to demand the release of independent journalists and an end to harassment of their colleagues to demand that independent journalists be given access to the tools they need to disseminate their ideas, opinions and news throughout the country and abroad as well as the possibility of traveling to other countries without government restriction to demand the free and unrestricted practice of independent journalism in Cuba.