As recently as September of this year, the Cuban government has refused to guarantee Cuban freedom of speech or peaceful assembly for native Cubans. They also have denied the right to free activity for human rights defenders, those in opposition to the government, and even independent journalists. The UN Human Right Council formulated 292 recommendations for the Cuban government, but the level of freedom of speech for Cubans has still seen little to no improvement. The Cuban government has continued to implement laws that prevent freedom of speech or expression. Here at FHRC, we believe that Cubans have the right to free speech and free assembly and we’re working to help them achieve that freedom.
Cuban Freedom of Speech
Cuba is known for the restrictive laws and regulations concerning free speech and press that characterize its political and social scene. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19:
“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes freedom of speech as a human right for all. Historically, the freedom of speech has been a realized right for various peoples and societies throughout the ages, but to this day, the Cuban people are limited in their freedom of speech. With oppressive censorship from the Cuban government, the citizens of this island nation will never have that freedom unless things radically change. We are calling for major government reform in this area of Cuban freedom of speech.
Gaining Freedom of Speech for the Cuban People
Freedom of speech for Cubans is limited in a variety of ways. This includes censorship of:
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books
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radio channels
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music
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movies
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TV
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newspapers
Freedoms we take for granted every day – opening a newspaper that isn’t censored by the government or listening to a radio channel that has the freedom to play whatever songs it chooses – are not enjoyed by the Cuban people. Achieving freedom of speech in Cuba is an important task and one that the global community must commit to.
How You Can Help
What many people may not know is that Internet access is also very limited for the majority of the Cuban people. If giving the Cuban people a free voice is something you are passionate about, there are some practical ways you can make a difference right now! Join in the efforts of our Connect Cuba campaign – an initiative that is seeking to empower Cuban civil society with open, uncensored access to the Internet. You can:
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Visit the website connectcuba.org
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Sign the petition
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Watch and share the video
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Donate online
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Shop at our Connect Cuba Shopify store (proceeds go to this mission)
The most important thing you can do is spread awareness. If people around the world don’t know what is going on in Cuba, they won’t know how to help. The people of Cuba deserve their freedom of speech. Let’s help them achieve it!
If you’re interested in getting involved in other ways, contact us to find out what you can do to help the Cuban people.