New York, June 24, 2004—Authorities granted medical parole to imprisoned journalists Manuel Vázquez Portal and Carmelo Díaz Fernández within the last week. The two men, who suffer from several health conditions, were among the 29 journalists imprisoned in Cuba since March 2003. Vázquez Portal, a writer with the independent news agency Grupo de Trabajo Decoro,…
New York, May 21, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has learned that imprisoned Cuban journalist Normando Hernández González, who is jailed at Kilo 5 1/2 Prison in western Pinar del Río Province, has started a hunger strike to protest prison conditions. Hernández González, who is serving a 25-year sentence, is one of 29 journalists…
New York, May 7, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply concerned about the health of imprisoned Cuban journalist Manuel Vázquez Portal, who has been on a hunger strike since April 30 to protest prison conditions. Vázquez Portal, who received one of CPJ’s International Press Freedom Awards in November 2003, is one of 29…
New York, April 7, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) renews its call for the Cuban government to release the 29 independent journalists sentenced to lengthy prison terms last April 7. The detention of political dissidents and journalists-who were accused of being “counterrevolutionaries” at the service of the United States-began on March 18, 2003, during…