HAVANA, January 25 (María de los Angeles González Amaro, UPECI) - The Union of Independent Cuban Journalists and Writers denounces the travesty commited against our colleague Víctor Rolando Arroyo Carmona.
Arroyo was sentenced to six months in jail for the presumed crime of hoarding. The Provincial Popular Tribunal of Pinar del Río ratified the sentence applying an obsolete statute, in so far as the law meant to penalize those who hoarded goods subject to rationing, affecting thereby the
national economy. All this was rendered irrelevant after the opening of the hard currency stores, at one of which is where the toys given to children were acquired, the apparent motive for which the journalist was tried.
Counter intelligence organs of the Castro regime are trying to silence the voices of journalists not subject to the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), and to that end are using represive methods. To that end, they have contrived various judicial processes for disrespect, disobedience, libel and now
hoarding. Nevertheless the farce has not been well rehearsed by its protagonists since both domestic and international public opinion can see through the blunt methods employed by the PCC to silence truth.
UPECI demands that Víctor Rolando Arroyo Carmona's human rights be respected. Our journalist was beat by police before his family and before the very court that presumably enforces the law.
We say enough already, to the trampling of free speech!
We say enough already, to the lies promulgated by the Socialist State against the independent journalists!
It is high time that Cuba open itself to the world!
Liberty is an unalienable right of man!
Board of Directors, UPECI
CubaNet does not require sole rights from its contributors. We authorize the reproduction and distribution of this article as long as the source is credited. |