EXTRA 10/98 Prisoner of Conscience / Legal concern 29 January 1998
CUBA
Juan Carlos Recio Martinez, aged 29, journalist
Cecilio Monteagudo Sanchez, aged 26
Juan Carlos Recio Martinez and Cecilio Monteagudo Sanchez will reportedly stand trial on 3 February 1998, in the Villa Clara People's Provincial Tribunal, on charges of 'enemy propaganda' and 'other acts against state security'. This is reportedly on the grounds that they produced a leaflet calling on people not to vote in the local elections that took place in October 1997. Amnesty International considers Cecilio Monteagudo Sanchez, in detention since 15 September 1997, to be a prisoner of conscience and fears that Juan Carlos Recio Martinez is in danger of becoming one. It believes they were arrested solely for attempting to peacefully exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. There is also concern that they will not be granted full judicial guarantees in accordance with international standards.
Cecilio Monteagudo Sanchez, a member of the unofficial Partido Solidaridad Democratica, Democratic Solidarity Party, in Camajuani, Villa Clara province, is believed to be held in the Villa Clara Provincial Prison (known as 'La Pendiente'), Santa Clara, Villa Clara province. Juan Carlos Recio Martinez, a journalist working for the independent press agency Cuba Press, was questioned on 3 November 1997 but released to await trial. The prosecution are believed to be seeking a sentence of six years' imprisonment for Cecilio Monteagudo and 18 month's 'correctional work with internment' for Juan Carlos Recio.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In Cuba freedom of expression, association and assembly are severely limited in law and in practice. Those who attempt to express views or organize meetings or form organizations that conflict with government policy and/or the aims of the socialist state are likely to be subjected to punitive measures including loss of employment, harassment, intimidation and often imprisonment. It is difficult to give precise numbers of prisoners of conscience because of the severe restrictions on human rights monitoring and the lack of official information. However, Amnesty International believes that there are several hundred people currently imprisoned in Cuba because of their peaceful attempts to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. The most common charges of an overtly political nature brought against such people are 'propaganda enemiga', 'enemy propaganda', and 'desacato', 'disrespect'. In many cases those concerned are charged with criminal offences, sometimes trumped up, in order to disguise the political motivation for their arrest.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express
letters:
noting
reports that Juan Carlos Recio Martinez and Cecilio Monteagudo Sanchez are
to be
tried on 3 February 1998 on charges of 'enemy propaganda' and 'other acts
against state security'; - expressing concern that the charges have been
brought
against them solely because of their peaceful political activities; -
requesting
that the charges be immediately dropped and that Cecilio Monteagudo be
immediately and unconditionally released; - urging that, if brought to
trial,
they both be provided with full judicial guarantees in accordance with
international fair trial standards, including adequate access to a lawyer
of
their choice.
APPEALS TO:
Dr Juan Escalona Reguera
Fiscal General de la Republica
Fiscalia General de la Republica
San Rafael 3
La Habana, Cuba
Dear Attorney General:
Telegrams: Fiscal General, Havana, Cuba
Telexes: 307 511456 fisge
Sr Roberto Robaina Gonzalez
Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
Calzada No. 360
Vedado, La Habana, Cuba
Dear Minister:
Telegrams: Ministro Relaciones Exteriores, Havana, Cuba
Telexes: 307 511122 / 307 511464 / 307 512950
Faxes: 011 53 7 335261
General Abelardo Colome Ibarra
Ministro de Interior
Ministerio del Interior
Plaza de la Revolucion
La Habana, Cuba
Dear Minister:
Telegrams: Ministro Interior, Havana, Cuba
COPIES TO:
National Union of Jurists:
Union Nacional de Juristas
Apartado 4161
La Habana 4, Cuba
Editor of Granma (daily newspaper)
Sr Jacinto Granda de Laserna
Granma, Apdo 6260, La Habana, Cuba
Cuba has no embassy in the US at present.To contact its interest in the
US,
write
Cuban Interests Section
Mr. Fernando Remirez de
Estenoz
2630
- 16th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
Please send appeals immediately. Check with the Colorado office between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain Time, weekdays only, if sending appeals after February 27, 1998.