International Community Should Condemn Government Attacks
November 7, 2009
The Cuban authorities are using brute force to try to silence Yoani
Sánchez's only weapon: her ideas. The international community must send
a firm message to Raul Castro that such attacks on independent voices
are completely unacceptable.
José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director of Human Rights Watch
(Washington, DC) – Cuban authorities should cease all attacks on human
rights defenders, journalists, bloggers and civic activists, Human
Rights Watch said today. The international community should condemn
attacks on those who peacefully exercise their basic rights to freedom
of expression, opinion, and assembly in the strongest terms.
On November 6, Cuba's most prominent blogger, Yoani Sánchez, together
with blogger Orlando Luís Pardo Lazo, were abducted by three men.
Sánchez and Pardo were forced into an unmarked vehicle, beaten, and
threatened by their captors before being released onto the street.
"The Cuban authorities are using brute force to try to silence Yoani
Sánchez's only weapon: her ideas," said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas
director of Human Rights Watch. "The international community must send a
firm message to Raul Castro that such attacks on independent voices are
completely unacceptable."
Sánchez and Pardo had been walking to attend a "march against violence"
in Havana when they were abducted. When Sánchez called for help and
bystanders started to intervene, one of the captors warned the other
civilians, "Don't get involved, these people are counterrevolutionaries."
Sánchez wrote that, while in the car, "one man put his knee on my chest
and the other, from the seat next to me, was punching me in the face."
The captors told Sanchez that her "clowning around" was finished.
Cuba is the only country in the region that continues to repress
virtually all forms of political dissent.
"This brazen attack makes clear that no one in Cuba who voices dissent
is safe from violent reprisals," said Vivanco.
Cuba: Prominent Blogger Abducted, Beaten | Human Rights Watch (7
November 2009)
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/11/07/cuba-prominent-blogger-abducted-beaten
No comments:
Post a Comment