Journalists in prison in Cuba: 24

Cuba (24)

Alejandro Gonzáles Raga, freelance
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

González Raga, an independent freelance journalist based in central
Camagüey province, was tried and convicted under Article 91 of the penal
code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act
against "the independence or the territorial integrity of the state." In
April 2003, he was sentenced to a 14-year prison term, which he is
serving in Canaleta prison in central Ciego de Ávila province.

Alfredo Pulido López, El Mayor
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

Pulido López, director of the independent news agency El Mayor in
central Camagüey province, was tried under Article 91 of the penal code,
which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act
against "the independence or the territorial integrity of the state." In
April 2003, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison and taken to the
Combinado del Este prison in Havana, hundreds of miles from his home. In
August 2004, he was transferred to Kilo 7 Prison, in his native Camagüey
province.

The journalist's wife, Rebeca Rodríguez Souto, told CPJ that he looked
pale and very thin during her visits in 2005. He has suffered from
severe headaches, neck pain, respiratory problems, high blood pressure,
and other medical problems, she said.

Iván Hernández Carrillo, Patria
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

Hernández Carrillo, a journalist with the independent news agency Patria
in western Matanzas province, was tried under Law 88 for the Protection
of Cuba's National Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20
years in prison for committing acts "aimed at subverting the internal
order of the nation and destroying its political, economic, and social
system." In April 2003, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison, which he
is serving at Cuba Sí Prison in eastern Holguín province, hundreds of
miles from his home.

Hernández Carrillo was originally placed in the Holguín Provincial
Prison. In 2003, prison officials placed Hernández Carrillo in a
punishment cell after he complained of illness. He waged two hunger
strikes, in 2003 and 2004, to protest inadequate food and medicine, and
to call attention to threats made against him by other prisoners and
prison officials. He was transferred to Cuba Sí Prison in August 2004.

José Gabriel Ramón Castillo, Instituto Cultura y Democracia Press
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

Ramón Castillo, director of the independent news agency Instituto
Cultura y Democracia Press, was tried under Article 91 of the penal
code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act
against "the independence or the territorial integrity of the state." In
April 2003, he was sentenced to a 20-year prison term and was sent to
Villa Clara Provincial Prison in central Cuba, hundreds of miles from
his home.

In July 2004, prison officials searched Ramón Castillo's cell and
confiscated his notes, a diary, and letters, according to the
Miami-based CubaNet Web site.

Ramón Castillo suffers from a heart condition, liver problems, and high
blood pressure, according to his brother, Jorge Ramón Castillo. With his
health deteriorating, Ramón Castillo was transferred to the Carlos J.
Finlay military hospital in Havana in November 2004. In February 2005,
Ramón Castillo was transferred to Boniato Prison in his native Santiago
de Cuba province, in eastern Cuba. There, he shares a cell with two
common criminals.

In 2005, his brother said, Ramón Castillo began suffering from a sleep
disorder and severe anxiety. A Catholic, Ramón Castillo has not had
access to a priest or other religious guidance.

José Luis García Paneque, Libertad
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

García Paneque, director of the independent news agency Libertad in
eastern Las Tunas province, was tried under Article 91 of the penal
code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act
against "the independence or the territorial integrity of the state." In
April 2003, he was sentenced to 24 years in prison, which he is now
serving at Las Mangas Prison in eastern Granma province.

Originally placed at Guamajal Prison in central Villa Clara province, he
was transferred a number of times before being taken to the Combinado
del Este Prison in Havana for a medical checkup. His wife, Yamilé
Llanes, said he had been suffering from diarrhea for a full year and had
lost at least 30 pounds before getting treatment. He was finally
diagnosed with an intestinal ailment.

In June 2005, Llanes told CPJ that her husband was suffering from
malnutrition, his weight having dropped from 190 pounds to about 120
pounds. She said his blood pressure was very low and he was still having
bouts of diarrhea. Llanes said he was not getting the high-protein diet
he needed.

Julio César Gálvez Rodríguez, freelance
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

Gálvez Rodríguez, a Havana-based independent freelance journalist, was
tried under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba's National Independence
and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts
"aimed at subverting the internal order of the nation and destroying its
political, economic, and social system." In April 2003, he was sentenced
to 15 years in prison. He was being held at Combinado del Este Prison in
Havana.

Gálvez Rodríguez suffers from several ailments, including high blood
pressure, liver problems, high cholesterol, and urinary problems. These
illnesses have either arisen or worsened during his imprisonment,
according to his wife, Beatriz del Carmen Pedroso. From February 26 to
July 9, 2004, Gálvez was hospitalized and underwent gallbladder surgery.
Pedroso has told CPJ she was very worried about her husband's health,
including his increased anxiety.

Léster Luis González Pentón, freelance
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

González Pentón, an independent journalist based in central Villa Clara
province, was tried under Article 91 of the penal code, which imposes
lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against "the
independence or the territorial integrity of the state." He was
sentenced to 20 years in prison in April 2003. He was transferred a
number of times before being taken to a military hospital in Havana for
a medical checkup.

His mother, Mireya de la Caridad Pentón, told CPJ that he was diagnosed
with chronic gastritis, sinusitis, and lower back pain, she said. In
addition, she said, his imprisonment and the separation from his young
daughter had caused him anxiety.

Miguel Galván Gutiérrez, Havana Press
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

Galván Gutiérrez, a journalist with the independent news agency Havana
Press, was tried under Article 91 of the penal code, which imposes
lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against "the
independence or the territorial integrity of the state." In April 2003,
he was sentenced to 26 years in prison, which he was serving at Agüica
Prison in western Matanzas province.

In May 2004, Galván Gutiérrez was moved from solitary confinement to a
cell with hardened criminals, according to the Miami-based CubaNet Web
site. In a May phone call from prison, he told his family that prison
officials had threatened him and were inciting other prisoners to attack
him, CubaNet reported.

Omar Rodríguez Saludes, Nueva Prensa Cubana
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

Rodríguez Saludes, director of the independent news agency Nueva Prensa
Cubana, was tried under Article 91 of the penal code, which imposes
lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against "the
independence or the territorial integrity of the state." In April 2003,
he was sentenced to 27 years in prison. He was transferred a number of
times before being placed at the Toledo Prison in Havana.

Rodríguez Saludes was in good health but complained about the poor
quality of prison food, his wife, Ileana Marrero Joa, told CPJ in June
2005. He was sharing a prison cubicle with hardened prisoners.

Pedro Argüelles Morán, Cooperativa Avileña de Periodistas Independientes
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

Argüelles Morán, director of the independent news agency Cooperativa
Avileña de Periodistas Independientes in central Ciego de Ávila
province, was tried under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba's National
Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for
committing acts "aimed at subverting the internal order of the nation
and destroying its political, economic, and social system." In April
2003, he received a 20-year prison term, which he was serving at
Canaleta Prison in central Ciego de Ávila province.

Argüelles Morán had been moved from prison to prison several times. His
wife, Yolanda Vera Nerey, told CPJ in November 2004 that Argüelles Morán
suffered from inflammation in his left knee. He was hospitalized in
February 2005 after his liver was found to be inflamed. Vera Nerey said
he developed emphysema in prison, and eye problems had worsened to the
point of near blindness. Vera Nerey said that he continued to suffer
from inflammation in his knees and legs, and that a doctor had diagnosed
him with arthritis.

Ricardo González Alfonso, freelance
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

González Alfonso, an independent freelance journalist and Cuba
correspondent for the Paris-based press freedom organization Reporters
Without Borders, was tried under Article 91 of the penal code, which
imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against "the
independence or the territorial integrity of the state." In April 2003,
he was sentenced to a 20-year prison term. González Alfonso is also the
president of the independent journalists' association Sociedad de
Periodistas Manuel Márquez Sterling.

González Alfonso was first placed in Kilo 8 Prison in central Camagüey
province, hundreds of miles from his home. He spent seven months in
solitary confinement there. In November 2003, he was transferred to a
cell with hardened criminals who harassed him. González Alfonso went on
a two-week hunger strike in December 2003 to demand his transfer to
another unit within the prison where he could be with other political
prisoners. As punishment for the strike, prison officials placed him in
a small cell with no running water that was lit 24 hours a day, where he
remained until late December 2003.

González Alfonso has had numerous health problems. He suffered from high
blood pressure, and a cyst was found in his throat. In July 2004,
González Alfonso was admitted to the Amalia Simoni Hospital in the city
of Camagüey, where he was diagnosed with hepatitis. A prison transfer
later, González Alfonso was taken to the hospital in Combinado del Este
Prison in January 2005 for gallbladder surgery. His surgical wounds
didn't properly heal and he developed a lingering bacterial infection,
according to his wife, Alida Viso Bello.

Víctor Rolando Arroyo Carmona, Unión de Periodistas y Escritores de Cuba
Independientes (UPECI)
Imprisoned: March 18, 2003

Arroyo Carmona, a journalist with the independent news agency Unión de
Periodistas y Escritores de Cuba Independientes (UPECI) in western Pinar
del Río province, was tried under Article 91 of the penal code, which
imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against "the
independence or the territorial integrity of the state." In April 2003,
he received a 26-year prison sentence. He was placed at the Guantánamo
Provincial Prison in eastern Guantánamo province, hundreds of miles from
his home.

In December 2004, Arroyo Carmona was taken to the Combinado del Este
Prison in Havana for a medical checkup. According to the Miami-based
CubaNet Web site, which quoted his wife, Elsa González Padrón, he was
diagnosed with pulmonary emphysema and other ailments.

On September 8, 2005, Arroyo went on a hunger strike to protest
mistreatment, his sister Blanca Arroyo told CPJ. He was subsequently
taken to the prison hospital. Arroyo's wife, Elsa González Padrón,
learned of the hunger strike from family members of other dissidents at
the Guantánamo Provincial Prison, Blanca Arroyo said. González, who
hadn't seen Arroyo for four months, made the long journey from her home
in Pinar del Río on September 21, but she was forced to wait several
days before getting permission to visit.

González was finally able to see her husband for about 10 minutes on
October 2, Blanca Arroyo said. The following morning, Arroyo was taken
to a hospital in neighboring Holguín province. His wife reported that he
looked weak, his voice was barely audible, and his skin had a yellow
cast, Blanca Arroyo said. He ended his hunger strike the same day, after
receiving assurances from authorities that he would get better treatment
in Holguín, his sister said. But on October 13, after 10 days in the
hospital, Arroyo was transferred back to Holguín Provincial Prison, his
wife told CPJ.

Fernández Saínz, Patria
Imprisoned: March 19, 2003

Fernández Saínz, a journalist with the independent news agency Patria,
was tried under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba's National
Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for
committing acts "aimed at subverting the internal order of the nation
and destroying its political, economic, and social system." In April
2003, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was placed at the
Holguín Provincial Prison in eastern Holguín province, hundreds of miles
from his home.

In 2003 and 2004, Fernández Saínz waged at least three hunger strikes to
protest inadequate food and medicine, along with the mistreatment of
fellow prisoners. Julia Núñez Pacheco, the wife of Fernández Saínz, told
CPJ in 2004 that she was very concerned that the hunger strikes and poor
prison food had taken a great toll on her husband. In December 2004,
Fernández Saínz was taken to the Combinado del Este Prison for a medical
checkup, which revealed he had several ailments, including emphysema, a
hernia, high blood pressure, and a small kidney cyst.

Joana Fernández Núñez, the journalist's daughter, told CPJ in 2005 that
his family was very worried that he had lost about 25 pounds. When his
family sought to give him some pork during a January 6, 2005, visit,
prison officials initially barred the delivery and relented only after a
long, heated argument, she said.

Fernández Saínz waged another hunger strike in August 2005, to protest
the mistreatment of imprisoned dissident Arnaldo Ramos Lauzurique.
Fernández Saínz began the strike after learning that Ramos Lauzurique
had been beaten by a prison officer and placed in a punishment cell,
according to Fernández Núñez.

Alfredo Felipe Fuentes, freelance
Imprisoned: March 19, 2003

Fuentes, an independent freelance journalist based in western Habana
province, was tried under Article 91 of the penal code, which imposes
lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against "the
independence or the territorial integrity of the state." In April 2003,
he was sentenced to a 26-year prison term. He was placed at Guamajal
Prison in central Villa Clara province, hundreds of miles from his home.

His wife, Loyda Valdés González, told CPJ in May 2004 that her husband
was fed broth and foul-smelling ground meat for months. As a result, he
lost a lot of weight, some of which he recovered after spending a month
at a hospital in the city of Santa Clara. In 2005, Fuentes shared a
prison unit with around 60 inmates convicted of common crimes.

Fabio Prieto Llorente, freelance
Imprisoned: March 19, 2003

Prieto Llorente, an independent freelance journalist based in western
Isla de la Juventud Special Municipality, was tried under Law 88 for the
Protection of Cuba's National Independence and Economy, which imposes up
to 20 years in prison for committing acts "aimed at subverting the
internal order of the nation and destroying its political, economic, and
social system." In April 2003, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
He was eventually jailed at Kilo 8 Prison in central Camagüey province,
hundreds of miles from his home.

The transfer to Kilo 8 caused Prieto Llorente to sink into depression
because it was difficult for his family to visit, according to his
sister, Clara Lourdes Prieto Llorente. Prieto Llorente, who was placed
in a damp and poorly lit cell on his arrival at Kilo 8, suffered from
hemorrhoids, high blood pressure, back pain, and emphysema, family
members said.

Prieto Llorente waged a hunger strike in August 2004. He was harassed
for protesting his conditions, according to CubaNet. Ramona Mirta
Llorente, the journalist's mother, told CPJ that he has had to endure
solitary confinement and the withholding of family mail.

Héctor Maseda Gutiérrez, Grupo de Trabajo Decoro
Imprisoned: March 19, 2003

Maseda Gutiérrez, a journalist with the independent news agency Grupo de
Trabajo Decoro, was tried under Article 91 of the penal code, which
imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against "the
independence or the territorial integrity of the state;" and under Law
88 for the Protection of Cuba's National Independence and Economy, which
imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts "aimed at
subverting the internal order of the nation and destroying its
political, economic, and social system." In April 2003, he received a
20-year prison term, which he was serving at La Pendiente Prison in
central Villa Clara province.

In July 2003, Maseda Gutiérrez's wife, Laura Pollán, told CPJ that he
had been diagnosed with skin rashes triggered by prison conditions.
Pollán said that prison authorities would not allow her to bring clean
sheets and medicine to her husband.

In August 2004, Maseda Gutiérrez was transferred to a cell with repeat
offenders, according to Pollán. He was concerned that prison authorities
would encourage the hardened prisoners to harass him. Pollán said she
appealed to Cuban authorities to grant him amnesty, but government
officials did not respond to her request.

On January 17, 2005, Pollán said, she was summoned to a State Security
Department (DSE) office in Havana, blamed for her husband's attitude,
and threatened with imprisonment for "defaming" the DSE. She was told to
keep quiet about her husband's situation and to cooperate with the DSE.
Pollán has regularly hosted relatives of imprisoned journalists and
dissidents at her house. She told CPJ she believed the government was
trying to force her to adopt a lower profile.

On January 26, Maseda Gutiérrez was transferred to a high-security unit
within the Villa Clara Provincial Prison, also in Villa Clara province.
In a January 29 letter from prison that Pollán made available to CPJ,
Maseda Gutiérrez wrote that his transfer was "a sort of punishment" and
the "worst violation yet committed against me." He complained about the
harsh treatment there, which included being handcuffed whenever he was
taken outside, to make a phone call, or to visit prison doctors.

José Ubaldo Izquierdo, Grupo de Trabajo Decoro
Imprisoned: March 19, 2003

Ubaldo Izquierdo, a journalist with the independent news agency Grupo de
Trabajo Decoro in western Habana province, was tried under Article 91 of
the penal code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for
those who act against "the independence or the territorial integrity of
the state." In April 2003, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison. After
a transfer, he was jailed at Guanajay Prison in western Habana province.

Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta, Agencia de Prensa Libre Oriental
Imprisoned: March 19, 2003

Herrera Acosta, a journalist with the independent news agency Agencia de
Prensa Libre Oriental in eastern Guantánamo province, was tried under
Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba's National Independence and Economy,
which imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts "aimed at
subverting the internal order of the nation and destroying its
political, economic, and social system." In April 2003, he received a
20-year prison term.

In August 2003, Herrera Acosta joined imprisoned journalists Manuel
Vázquez Portal and Normando Hernández González and other jailed
dissidents at Boniato Prison in a one-week hunger strike. As punishment
for his involvement, he was transferred to Kilo 8 Prison in central
Camagüey province, hundreds of miles from his home.

In October 2004, the Miami-based organization Directorio Democrático
Cubano, quoting Herrera Acosta's wife, Ileana Danger Hardy, said that
prison officials badly beat the journalist that month.

In a June 2005 interview with CPJ, Danger Hardy said her husband
suffered from a heart condition and high blood pressure. Since his
imprisonment, she said, his ailments have worsened, and he appeared very
thin during a June 8 visit. A couple of weeks before, on May 23, a
prison official dragged him across a hospital hall while he was
handcuffed, causing cuts to his hands, she reported. Danger Hardy said
her husband has wounded himself several times to protest prison
conditions and mistreatment.

Mijaíl Bárzaga Lugo, Agencia Noticiosa Cubana
Imprisoned: March 19, 2003

Bárzaga Lugo, a journalist with the independent news agency Agencia
Noticiosa Cubana in Havana, was tried under Law 88 for the Protection of
Cuba's National Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years
in prison for committing acts "aimed at subverting the internal order of
the nation and destroying its political, economic, and social system."
In April 2003, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and was placed at
Villa Clara Provincial Prison in central Villa Clara province, hundreds
of miles from his home.

Normando Hernández González, Colegio de Periodistas Independientes de
Camagüey
Imprisoned: March 19, 2003

Hernández González, director of the independent news agency Colegio de
Periodistas Independientes de Camagüey, was tried under Article 91 of
the penal code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for
those who act against "the independence or the territorial integrity of
the state." In April 2003, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

In April 2003, he was sent to Boniato Prison in eastern Santiago de Cuba
province. In August, Hernández González joined imprisoned journalist
Manuel Vázquez Portal and other jailed dissidents at Boniato Prison in a
one-week hunger strike. As punishment for his involvement in the strike,
Hernández González was sent to Kilo 5 1/2 Prison in Pinar del Río at the
opposite end of the island.

In May 2004, Hernández González waged another hunger strike to protest
his transfer to a cell with hardened criminals at Kilo 5 1/2. After a
family visit that month, Reyes said her husband looked very thin,
haggard, and pale.

In January 2005, a doctor found that Hernández González was exposed to
tuberculosis but was not infected, said his wife, Yaraí Reyes. She said
her husband's overall health has worsened and he has lost weight during
his imprisonment.

Omar Ruiz Hernández, Grupo de Trabajo Decoro
Imprisoned: March 19, 2003

Ruiz Hernández, a journalist with the independent news agency Grupo de
Trabajo Decoro in central Villa Clara province, was tried under Article
91 of the penal code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death
for those who act against "the independence or the territorial integrity
of the state." In April 2003, he received an 18-year prison term.

In April 2003, Ruiz Hernández was sent to the Guantánamo Provincial
Prison in eastern Guantánamo province, hundreds of miles from his home.
In March 2004, his wife, Bárbara Maritza Rojo Arias, told CPJ that he
was stressed, was having chest pain, and was suffering from high blood
pressure. Because his prison cell was poorly lit, his eyes became
irritated whenever he was exposed to sunlight, Rojo Arias said.

In August 2004, Ruiz Hernández was transferred to Canaleta Prison in
central Ciego de Ávila Province.

In December 2004, Ruiz Hernández was taken to the hospital at Combinado
del Este Prison in Havana for a medical checkup. He was diagnosed with
severe high blood pressure and was found to have a dilated aorta. Soon
after, he was returned to Canaleta Prison.

In May 2005, Ruiz Hernández was taken to a small and poorly ventilated
cell after he refused to stand at attention when a prison officer walked
past, Rojo Arias told CPJ. During three days there in intense heat, his
blood pressure increased. Rojo Arias said that her husband's diet was
very poor and he depended on the food she brought for him in her visits
to the prison. In November 2005, he was taken to Nieves Morejón Prison
in central Sancti Spíritus Province.

Pablo Pacheco Ávila, Cooperativa Avileña de Periodistas Independientes
Imprisoned: March 19, 2003

Pacheco Ávila, a journalist with the independent news agency Cooperativa
Avileña de Periodistas Independientes, was tried under Law 88 for the
Protection of Cuba's National Independence and Economy, which imposes up
to 20 years in prison for committing acts "aimed at subverting the
internal order of the nation and destroying its political, economic, and
social system." In April 2003, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison,
which he began serving at Agüica Prison in western Matanzas province,
hundreds of miles from his home. In August 2004, he was moved to Morón
Prison in Ciego de Ávila, his native province.

In March 2005, his wife, Oleivys García Echemendía, told CPJ that
Pacheco Ávila suffered from high blood pressure, severe headaches,
inflammation in both knees, and acute gastritis. His knee problems had
worsened to the point that he could barely walk, García Echemendía said.

Oscar Mario González, Grupo de Trabajo Decoro
Imprisoned: July 22, 2005

González, a journalist with the independent news agency Grupo de Trabajo
Decoro, was arrested about a block from his home in Havana, according to
colleague Ana Leonor Díaz.

Authorities did not immediately say why González was detained or file
any charges against him publicly. Díaz said González might have been
detained in connection with a police crackdown that began July 22, when
opposition activists planned to hold an antigovernment protest outside
the French Embassy in Havana.

Several leaders of the protest group, the Assembly to Promote Civil
Society in Cuba (APSC), were detained before they could join other
protesters. In all, at least 29 people were detained; most were released
without charge.

In May, González covered the APSC congress for Grupo de Trabajo Decoro.
The unprecedented two-day congress brought together 200 activists and
guests to discuss ways to create a democratic society in Cuba. At the
time, Cuban authorities detained and expelled at least five foreign
journalists who had traveled to Cuba to cover the meeting.

A police investigator told the journalist's relatives that he would be
prosecuted under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba's National
Independence and Economy, Diaz reported. The law sets penalties of up to
20 years in prison for anyone who commits "acts that in agreement with
imperialist interests are aimed at subverting the internal order of the
nation and destroy its political, economic, and social system."

As of December 1, Cuban authorities had yet to formally charge González.
He was being held by police in Havana.

Albert Santiago Du Bouchet Hernández, Havana Press
Imprisoned: August 6, 2005

Du Bouchet Hernández was arrested on August 6, tried three days later,
and handed a one-year jail term—all without the knowledge of his family,
who learned of his detention only after he smuggled a note out of
prison. Du Bouchet Hernández is director of the independent news agency
Havana Press, which sends reports to the Miami-based Web site Nueva
Prensa Cubana.

Du Bouchet Hernández was detained on a reporting trip to Artemisa, 38
miles (60 kilometers) from Havana, according to his wife, Bárbara Pérez
Araya. He was charged with "disrespecting" the local chief of police and
resisting arrest. He was sent to the Melena del Sur prison in Habana
province after his conviction.

Pérez Araya told CPJ said her husband did not have access to a lawyer
before or during the trial, that the charges were fabricated, and that
his trial was "a sham."

Du Bouchet Hernández covered the congress of the Assembly to Promote
Civil Society (APSC) in May 2005. The two-day gathering, unprecedented
in Cuba, brought together 200 opposition activists and guests to discuss
ways to create a democracy in Cuba.

Pérez Araya said state security agents warned Du Bouchet Hernández in
May and July to stop work or face imprisonment. They ordered him to
appear at a police station on the opening day of the APSC meeting, but
he ignored the summons and covered the conference.

Neither Pérez Araya nor her husband has received a copy of the court
ruling. She said her husband has not been able to sleep well in jail.
She took him sedatives and other medication but he was only allowed to
receive headache pills.

http://www.worldpressfreedomday.org/