Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Cuba told to revisit laws

Cuba told to revisit laws
Wed, February 08, 2012 - 1:39 PM

LONDON – The global human rights watchdog group, Amnesty International,
has urged the Cuban government to reform what it has described as an
"arbitrary" exit permit scheme that Havana uses to punish free speech,
after a prominent Cuban blogger was again barred from travelling abroad.

On Friday, Cuba's immigration authorities denied blogger and activist
Yoani Sánchez an exit permit, known as a tarjeta blanca or white card or
tarjeta blanca, for the 19th time in four years. As on previous
occasions, no reason was given for the decision.

The prize-winning author of the "Generación Y" blog was invited to speak
at the premiere screening in Brazil's Bahía state on Friday of a
documentary on freedom of expression in Cuba and Honduras. Brazil had
already issued her a visa to enter the country.

"The Cuban government's repeated denial of exit permits to critics like
Yoani Sánchez can only be seen as retaliation for the expression of
their legitimate political views and activism," said Javier Zúñiga, a
special advisor to Amnesty International.

"Those fighting for freedom of expression, association, and movement
must be authorized to leave and re-enter the country without arbitrary
restrictions, and the Cuban authorities must end other tactics used to
clamp down on peaceful dissent," he added.

Zúñiga said Cuban President Raúl Castro has yet to follow through on
changes to immigration policies promised as part of a series of reforms
announced in 2011.

Sánchez's on daily life on the communist-run island often reports many
restrictions placed on Cuban political and civil rights, Zúñiga said.

Her political activism is highlighted in Brazilian filmmaker Dado
Galvão's new documentary "Connection Cuba-Honduras".

After the Cuban authorities' most recent decision to prevent her from
travelling, Yoani Sánchez expressed her frustration via the
microblogging site, Twitter.

"I feel like a hostage kidnapped by someone who won't listen or give
explanations," she wrote. "If all this effort helps to shine a light on
the migratory absurdity we Cubans are trapped in, then it was worth it."

The blogger's work has earned her numerous prizes overseas, but the
Cuban authorities have repeatedly blocked her from attending the award
ceremonies.

On January 20, the London-based human rights charity said it wrote to
Brazil's foreign minister, urging him to intervene to ensure Sánchez
would be allowed to leave Cuba.

On a state visit to Havana last week, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff
mentioned that the blogger had been granted a visa to enter Brazil, but
Amnesty International said she fell short of pressing the Cuban
government to allow her to leave. (CMC)

http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/cuba-told-to-revisit-laws/

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