21 May 2014

Censorship of 14ymedio in Cuba protested by IAPA

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MIAMI, Florida (May 21, 2014)—The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today condemned censorship imposed in Cuba on the independent online newspaper 14ymedio, access to which was blocked to the Cuban public on its first day of publication.
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MIAMI, Florida (May 21, 2014)—The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today condemned censorship imposed in Cuba on the  independent online newspaper 14ymedio, access to which was blocked to the Cuban public on its first day of publication.

Claudio Paolillo, chairman of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, declared, “While this action is no surprise, the world was hoping for greater tolerance by the Raúl Castro government, considering its efforts to show a more positive face, more open to raise attention of the international community.”

“Unfortunately,” added the editor of the Montevideo, Uruguay, weekly Búsqueda, “this censorship shows that the Cuban government continues to think that freedom of expression is a concession that is granted by the authorities, not a human right, that no one may criticize them and they do not have to give any explanation to their citizens.”

According to the international press the Web site www.14ymedio.com, officially launched this morning by renowned blogger Yoani Sánchez, regional vice chair for Cuba of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, was blocked three hours after the launch. In Cuba those who tried to log onto the site were redirected to “Yoanilandia,” another Web site on which information adverse to the journalist is posted.

Sánchez today remained in contact through her Twitter account. In one of her tweets she blamed the government for the sabotage.

In a statement of support for the online newspaper published in 14ymedio and signed by writers, film directors, past presidents and journalists, it welcomes " new means of communication born in a country without a free press - Cuba ".

The IAPA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the defense and promotion of freedom of the press and of expression in the Americas. It is made up of more than 1,300 print publications from throughout the Western Hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida. For more information please go to http://www.sipiapa.org.

      

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