END ACTION: SCREENING POSTPONED AS BLOGGER DENIED EXIT (1st Update on UA 38/12)

CUBA

Yoani Sánchez (f)

Following the Cuban authorities´ refusal to grant Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez permission to travel to Brazil to attend a documentary screening on freedom of expression, the documentary-maker has decided to postpone its showing so that she can attend at a later date.

The Brazilian documentary-maker Dado Galvao has decided to postpone the screening of his documentary Conexão Cuba > Honduras (Cuba Connection Honduras) because Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez has been refused permission by Cuban authorities to travel to attend the event as a guest speaker. The screening was due to take place on 10 February in Jequié, Bahia State, Brazil. The film features the stories of a number of Cuban and Honduran bloggers who have faced censorship in their countries, including Yoani Sánchez herself.

Yoani Sánchez was refused an exit visa to travel to the screening, the nineteenth time in four years that the Cuban authorities have arbitrarily denied her permission to leave her country. Several of those requests to travel have been for the purpose of receiving awards for her blogging and other activities which seek to promote freedom of expression in Cuba. Amnesty International believes that the Cuban authorities´ refusal to grant Yoani Sánchez exit visas is a punitive measure in response to the peaceful expression of her critical views and is an attempt to silence her voice on the international stage.

Dado Galvao has announced that he would like to screen the documentary at the end of April, and will again be inviting Yoani Sánchez to attend as a guest speaker. Amnesty International will be closely monitoring the situation and will take further action as appropriate.

No further action is required for the moment. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.