14ymedio, Havana, 23 March 2018 — One hundred Venezuelan journalists released a manifesto on Friday demanding freedom of expression and supporting independent journalism in Cuba to mark the 15th anniversary of the 2003 Black Spring.
“Three decades later, within Cuba, the right to express oneself freely and the exercise of independent journalism are crimes,” the manifesto states.
Among the signatories of the document, promoted by Venecuba and Medianálisis, there are prominent press, radio and television journalists such as Nelson Bocaranda, Reyes Theis and Andrés Cañizales.
“The lack of freedom in Cuba, which directly impacts journalists within the island, should move us to the defense of these rights and this situation can not be viewed with indifference by the societies of other countries,” the signatories denounce.
According to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), during the 2003 Black Spring the 75 independent journalists and activists who were arrested were held for days in dungeons without the minimum conditions, subjected to humiliating treatment and away from their families.
“Journalists unjustly imprisoned during the massive assault on Cuban dissidence were finally released [in 2010], but that dark stage has led to a phase of constant and significant repression,” CPJ’s text says.
Last June, Reporters Without Borders once again placed Cuba among the countries with the lowest freedom of expression in the world, placing it in position 173 of the 180 countries listed.
Signers
Daniel Acosta
Gabriela Aguilar
Alfredo Álvarez
Víctor Amaya
Yaya Andueza
Loly Añez
Sirlene Araujo
José A. Aristimuño
Lorena Arraiz
Gabriel Bastidas
César Batiz
Jorge Berrueta
Marcelino Bisbal
Dayrí Blanco
Luis Ernesto Blanco
Nelson Bocaranda Sardi
Lisseth Boon
Lorena Bornacelly
Ingrid Bravo Balabú
Andrés Cañizález
Edgar Alfredo Cárdenas
Celina Carquez
Guzmar Castillo
Alexis Correia
Xabier Coscojuela
Carlos Delgado Flores
Jade Delgado
María Inés Delgado
Dhameliz Díaz
Gregoria Díaz
Luis Carlos Díaz
Héctor Escandell
Melanio Escobar
Arnaldo Espinoza
Pedro García Otero
Mariela Giménez
Elvia Gómez
Moraima Guanipa
Nilsa Gulfo
Jeanfreddy Gutiérrez
León Hernández
Ailyn Hidalgo
Andreina Itriago
Teresita Jiménez
Valentina Lares
Pedro Eduardo Leal
Leonardo León
Yelitza Linares
Aymara Lorenzo
Román Lozinski
Omar Lugo
Yndira Lugo
Humberto Márquez
Eugenio Martínez
Mariangel Martínez
Oscar Medina
Maru Morales
Amira Muci
Oscar Murillo
Gustavo Ocando
Gerardo Oviedo
Pablo Paz
Katherine Pennacchio
Juan José Peralta
Yayett Peralta
Leonardo Pérez
Elsa Piña
Eduardo Ponte
Damián Prat
Clavel Rangel
Carmen Riera
Albor Rodríguez
Ingmary Rodríguez
María Fernanda Rodríguez
Nayrobis Rodríguez
Patricia Rodríguez
Elides Rojas
Andrés Rojas Jiménez
Tibisay Romero
César Miguel Rondón
Josefina Ruggiero
Marco Ruiz
Katty Salerno
Francia Sánchez
Nora Sánchez
Raúl Semprún
Milagros Socorro
Patricia Spadaro
Leonardo Suárez
Rogelio Suárez
Reyes Theis
Humberto Torres
Keren Torres
Sheyla Urdaneta
Nilsa Varela
Shirley Varnagy
Juan Diego Vílchez
Miguel Villavicencio
Laura Weffer
Fabiola Zerpa
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