Cuba: Journalist imprisoned for free speech

Journalist Pablo Pacheco Avila was arrested in March 2003 during a severe crackdown on the dissident movement in Cuba, and sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment. Amnesty believes that he was arrested purely for his legitimate journalistic activities and peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression.

Send an appeal to the Cuban authorities now

'In my opinion, the blogger movement in Cuba has become an excellent alternative form of free communication... I consider myself to be the voice in this dismal prison of those whose voices have been taken away from them...'

Pablo Pacheco, blogging from prison, 13 July 2009

On 20 March 2009, Pablo was given a 24-hour permit to go home. This visit lifted his spirits and his wife, Oleivis, said it had been wonderful for all the family. She also said: 'I want to send our deep affection for all Amnesty members for their effort and continuous work for the release of my husband'. Amnesty considers Pablo Pacheco to be a prisoner of conscience and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.

In June 2009 Pablo Pacheco Avila received special recognition for his work as a journalist under threat at Amnesty’s 2009 Media Awards.

Freedom of expression in Cuba

In February 2008, Raúl Castro became head of state and government. Cuba signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; however, no date was set for ratification.

Freedom of expression remains limited in Cuba, with all mass media outlets under state control. Journalists working for independent and alternative news agencies continue to face harassment and intimidation in the form of short-term detention and monitoring by security officers. Opposition political groups and many civil and professional associations continued to be barred from gaining legal status. In December 2008, more than 30 people were briefly detained by the Cuban authorities, preventing them from celebrating International Human Rights Day in Havana. At the end of the year (2008), 58 prisoners of conscience continued to be held solely for the expression of their political views. In February 2009, four prisoners of conscience were released on health grounds, but were ordered to leave the country. There were reports of harassment and intimidation against prisoners of conscience and political prisoners by other prisoners and prison guards.

Pablo's case

Pablo Pacheco Avila works for an unofficial agency, Avileña Cooperative of Journalists, in Ciego de Avila, in Cuba. He has been in prison since March 2003 and is not due for release until 2023.

In mid-March 2003, after a period of apparent relaxation of restrictions, the Cuban authorities conducted a large-scale crackdown on the dissident movement. They detained scores of people, including Pablo Pacheco Avila. Seventy-five of those arrested were charged under Article 91 of the Penal Code (‘acts against the independence or territorial integrity of the state’) or Law 88 (Law for the Protection of the National Independence and Economy of Cuba), or both.

Law 88 provides lengthy prison terms for those found guilty of supporting US policy on Cuba aimed at ‘disrupting internal order, destabilising the country and destroying the Socialist State and the independence of Cuba’.

The limited information in the trial documents for the 75 dissidents indicates that none of them were prosecuted for violent or recognisably criminal activity, but rather for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly.

Pablo Pacheco Avila was sentenced under Law 88 to 20 years’ imprisonment. Amnesty International considers him to be a prisoner of conscience. Since beginning his sentence, he has reportedly been moved several times. He is currently held in Canaleta Provincial Prison.

Pablo Pacheco Avila has been subjected to harassment in the past. For example, in November 2002 he was reportedly detained for six hours after attempting to video police officers ill-treating two women.

Journalist Pablo Pacheco Avila was arrested in March 2003 during a severe crackdown on the dissident movement in Cuba, and sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment. Amnesty believes that he was arrested purely for his legitimate journalistic activities and peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression.

Send an appeal to the Cuban authorities now

'In my opinion, the blogger movement in Cuba has become an excellent alternative form of free communication... I consider myself to be the voice in this dismal prison of those whose voices have been taken away from them...'

Pablo Pacheco, blogging from prison, 13 July 2009

On 20 March 2009, Pablo was given a 24-hour permit to go home. This visit lifted his spirits and his wife, Oleivis, said it had been wonderful for all the family. She also said: 'I want to send our deep affection for all Amnesty members for their effort and continuous work for the release of my husband'. Amnesty considers Pablo Pacheco to be a prisoner of conscience and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.

In June 2009 Pablo Pacheco Avila received special recognition for his work as a journalist under threat at Amnesty’s 2009 Media Awards.

Please write to the Cuban authorities, calling for Pablo Pacheco’s release

TIME SAVERS  If you'd like to get together with some friends and send appeal letters as a group we've prepared some time savers for you. You can download address labels for this case (Word - for L1760 size label) to save you doing them all by hand.