PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
The Friends of Cuban Libraries
December 6, 2001
REPORT CONDEMNS REPRESSION OF LIBRARIANS
Dr. Santiago Canton, the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression
for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, has issued an annual
report on intellectual freedom in the Americas for the year 2000. The report
expresses concern over violations of freedom of expression in numerous
countries in the region, including Peru, Colombia, Honduras and Venezuela.
The report found the situation in Cuba to be especially troubling:
"Cuba continues to be of primary concern for the Office of the Special
Rapporteur as the most critical situation for freedom of expression in the
Hemisphere. The absence of a pluralistic democracy translates in practice as
a systematic violation of freedom of expression."
In addition to condemning the persecution of Cuban journalists, the
Special Rapporteur's indictment also highlighted the systematic repression of
the island nation's burgeoning independent library movement, whose purpose is
described as offering "public access to books that have been banned by the
government." Following upon similar documentation by Amnesty International,
the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) and International
PEN, the report by the Special Rapporteur of the Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights condemned the Cuban government for carrying out acts of
repression against the independent library movement which include "searches,
confiscation, and arrests and detentions of librarians." An English
translation of the Special Rapporteur's Annual Report 2000 is available
online: (http://www.cidh.org/Relatoria/English//Reports.htm).
BACKGROUND: The Friends of Cuban Libraries, founded in June, 1999, is an
independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit support group for the independent
librarians. We oppose censorship and all other violations of intellectual
freedom, as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, regardless
of whatever government may be in office in Cuba. We are funded entirely by
our members and do not seek or accept funding from other sources. For more
information, send e-mail to: [log in to unmask] or telephone (USA)
718-340-8494. Mailing address: 4-74 48th Avenue, #3-C, Long Island City, NY
11109 USA.
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