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PRIMA News, March
20, 2003.
Correspondent of Moscow-based PRIMA news agency Adolfo Fernandez
arrested in Havana
On the night of March 19-- 20 Cuban state security police arrested in
Havana Adolfo Fernandez Saints, a correspondent of the Moscow-based PRIMA News
Agency. After an eight-hour search at his home, he was taken to the state
security headquarters on Villa Marista Street in the Cuban capital.
The search and arrest were carried out by eight state security officers led
by Capt. Luis Perdomo Lamarque. During the search telephone was cut off in
Fernandez's home. The state security agents seized the journalist's typewriter,
two photo cameras, a fax machine, and a lot of photos and documents. At about 1
am Adolfo was taken into custody of the state security service.
Journalist Adolfo Fernandez was born on November 30, 1948 in the town of
San Luis, Pinar del Rio province, Cuba. He is a qualified interpreter.
Graduated from Havana University. For 15 years had worked as a translator in
government agencies. In October 1994 was fired for his political convictions,
and joined the Cuban independent news agency, PATRIA, writing on political,
social and religious subjects. He is a Catholic. From July 2001, works as a
correspondent for the Moscow-based Human Rights News Agency PRIMA. He lives in
Havana at the following address: Belascoain 465, apto 19, entre Zanja y Salud.
He is married, and has a grown-up daughter.
Though the nature of charges brought against him is not known, his family
and friends are certain they are politically motivated. In the past two days
about 50 most active dissidents have been arrested in Cuba, including many
independent journalists. Independent lawyer Rene Gomez Manzano, on of the
leaders of Cuban dissidents, opines that Fidel Castro's regime is taking
advantage of the world public opinion's preoccupation with the events in Iraq.
PRIMA's editorial staff are calling upon journalists, human rights
activists, public and political figures, all people of good will that uphold
principles of democracy to speak out in defense of the arrested journalist. We
are urging you to denounce the Communist regime in Cuba that persecutes its
citizens for advocating principles of freedom and democracy. We are appealing
to all those who value freedom of speech to voice their support to Adolfo
Fernandez.
We request you to send your appeals to the Cuban authorities in Havana, and
to Cuban Ambassador to Moscow Mr. Jorge Marti (Building 9, Leontiyevsky
Pereulok, Moscow. Fax no: (7-095) 200-12-93). We would appreciate if you send us
copies of your appeals.
Alexander Podrabinek
Editor-in-Chief
Human Rights News Agency PRIMA
Telephone
(Moscow): (7-095) 450-14-88; Tel./Fax: (7-095) 450-14-90
prima@prima-news.ru
; podrabinek@prima-news.ru ; www.prima-news.ru | 
