Cuba at a human rights crossroads as Pope Francis prepares to visit the country

Cuba at a human rights crossroads as Pope Francis prepares to visit the
country
17 September 2015, 07:41 UTC

Cuba is at a human rights crossroads, with important advances such as
the recent release of prisoners of conscience and other activists and a
number of positive reforms to its migration laws overshadowed by the
government's determination to deploy new methods to stifle dissent, said
Amnesty International ahead of a state visit by Pope Francis.

"Over the past few months, we have seen unprecedented openness when it
comes to Cuba's international relations. However, the country still
needs to make progress when it comes to allowing people to peacefully
express their views without fear of being harassed, detained or
attacked," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty
International.

Over the past few months, we have seen unprecedented openness when it
comes to Cuba's international relations. However, the country still
needs to make progress when it comes to allowing people to peacefully
express their views without fear of being harassed, detained or attacked
Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.
Over the past few years, authorities in Cuba have switched from a
strategy of incarcerating people viewed as political dissidents for long
periods of time to consecutive short term arrests and public smear
campaigns.

According to the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National
Reconciliation (Comisión Cubana de Derechos Humanos y Reconciliación
Nacional), there were 768 "politically" motivated detentions in August
2015 alone – up from 674 in July 2015.

"If the Cuban authorities are serious about instigating real changes,
they must show openness not only with other governments but also with
independent human rights monitoring bodies, such as Amnesty
International and UN Special Procedures on human rights, who have been
banned from the country for years," said Erika Guevara-Rosas.

If the Cuban authorities are serious about instigating real changes,
they must show openness not only with other governments but also with
independent human rights monitoring bodies, such as Amnesty
International and UN Special Procedures on human rights, who have been
banned from the country for years
Erika Guevara-Rosas.
Amnesty International has not been allowed to enter Cuba since its last
visit in 1988 when a delegation from the organization went to document
the situation of prisoners of conscience and other individuals who were
detained for political reasons across the country.

The organization also said the US embargo on Cuba is highly detrimental
to Cubans' enjoyment of a range of economic, social and cultural rights,
such as the right to food, health and sanitation and called on the US
government to lift it.

Pope Francis is due to make his first visit to Cuba between 19 and 22
September.

Source: Cuba at a human rights crossroads as Pope Francis prepares to
visit the country | Amnesty International -
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/09/cuba-at-a-human-rights-crossroads-as-pope-francis-prepares-to-visit-the-country/