Press Freedom
CPJ Updates
- Journalist Casimir Kpedjo detained, facing false news accusations in Benin
- Trial of detained Nicaraguan journalists Lucía Pineda and Miguel Mora indefinitely delayed
- Editor-in-chief of Mexican newspaper Reforma targeted by death threats following criticism from president
- Peruvian judge orders assets freeze for Ojo Público, 2 journalists in defamation case
- Israeli forces injure four Palestinian journalists covering Gaza protests
- Two journalists arrested covering yellow vest protests in France
- Jordanian journalist Abdulrahman Farhana detained by Saudi authorities
- Myanmar military sues The Irrawaddy for criminal defamation over conflict coverage
- #WeStandWithLyra
Reporter Without Borders
- Media pluralism – collateral victim of the crisis in Indian-held Kashmir
- US should redouble efforts to secure the safe return of detained American journalist Austin Tice
- Media regulator threatens Brazzaville weekly with closure
- Philippine army “red-tagging” leads to threats, violence against journalists
- Kyrgyz TV channel’s forced closure deals blow to media pluralism
- US – #WeeklyAddress: August 5 – August 11: Trump administration floats draft of social media “censorship” executive order
- Total of journalists abducted in Yemen in past five years reaches 20
- RSF refers Myanmar journalist’s arbitrary detention to UN
Cuba June 29, 2006
H.E. Fidel Castro Ruz
President
Office of the President
Consejo de Estado
Plaza de la Revolución
Ciudad de la Habana
Republic of Cuba
Fax: (011.537) 81-22-71
Your Excellency:
We are waiting with impatience for news of Armando Betancourt, an independent journalist who was reporting legitimately for Nueva Prensa Cubana on a public event in Camagüey when he was arrested May 23rd.
The event was the eviction of squatters from a central part of the city, something perhaps that your government did not want publicized. Betancourt’s arrest suggests that the authorities were ashamed of what they were doing, and since the press in Cuba is meant to be controlled by the government a bothersome reporter was made to disappear.
We know Betancourt was subsequently held in solitary confinement and charged with disturbing the peace. The police also reportedly struck and bruised him, which is perhaps why his family was not allowed to see him.
Armando Betancourt was doing his job in Camagüey, Your Excellency, performing a function that would not be blocked by the police of any other country in this hemisphere.
Will Betancourt now join the other brave Cuban journalists who have been held for years under such cruel conditions that their health is being destroyed? When will Cuba finally recognize the outrage these arrests are causing around the world?
Respectfully yours,
Jeremy Main
Kevin McDermott
Freedom of the Press Committee
cc:
Ambassador Bruno Rodríguez
Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Cuba
to the United Nations
315 Lexington Avenue
New York , NY 10016
Fax: (212) 689-9073
Mr. Dagoberto Rodriguez Barrera
Cuban Interests Section
Embassy of Switzerland
2630 Sixteenth Street, NW
Washington , DC 20009
Fax: (202) 986-7283
Mr. James C. Cason
U.S. Interests Section
Embassy of Switzerland
Calzada between L and M Streets
Vedado Seccion
Havana
Cuba
Fax: (011.537) 33-37-00
Hon. Louise Arbour
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: (011.41.22) 917-9022