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WHEREAS press freedom has been cancelled for 45 yearsWHEREASthe government has jailed 25 journalists, who are harassed and treated cruelly in unhealthy conditions with terrible food, many of them confined to punishment cells, hundreds of kilometers from their homes and intimidated by repressive measures against their relatives WHEREAS the recent release of six journalists for humanitarian reasons, including Raúl Rivero, vice president of the IAPA Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, was not an amnesty, but a form of house arrest that prevents them from exercising their rights as citizens and leaves open the possibility of being sent back to jail WHEREAS Carlos Brizuela Yera was released last March 2 after serving a complete three-year sentence WHEREAS some of the journalists serving harsh terms are elderly and at least 10 have severe health problems, but the government has not granted them humanitarian parole WHEREAS threats, reprisals and coercion continue against journalists who are still active who confront difficulties to do their work and police threats to charge them for alleged acts that endanger national security WHEREAS the independent press movement faces difficult conditions to survive, without material resources and with limited options for reviving their professional activities at times when the Cuban government has intensified ideological control and blocks access to communications technology WHEREAS Article 4 of the Declaration of Chapultepec states, ?Freedom of expression and of the press are severely limited by murder, terrorism, kidnapping, pressure, 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 MIDYEAR MEETING OF THE IAPA RESOLVESto demand the immediate release of imprisoned journalists and an end to harassment of their familiesto demand the expedited release of elderly and ailing journalists who remain in correctional medical facilities or in prison without benefit of humanitarian parole to demand the restoration of all rights of citizenship to Raúl Rivero and the other Cuban journalists released for health reasons to welcome the release of Carlos Brizuela Yera and demand respect for his work as a professional and a citizen to demand an end to repressive acts and protection for independent journalists who try to disseminate their ideas, opinions and news inside and outside the country to promote support for direct actions such as publication of articles and financial help by hemispheric media and professional organizations.
Copyright © 2003 Inter American Press Association. All rights reserved. . |
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