FREEDOM HOUSE WELCOMES EU'S STRONG HUMAN RIGHTS STANCE ON CUBA

FREEDOM HOUSE WELCOMES EU'S STRONG HUMAN RIGHTS STANCE ON CUBA
2009-06-23.

(www.miscelaneasdecuba.net).- Budapest – June 18, 2009 – The European
Union Council's declaration this week on Cuba showed encouraging signs
that concern for human rights and democracy will be part of the renewed
political dialogue between the two sides.

EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg agreed to support the
advancement of human rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy in Cuba
through a number of important means, including pursuing dialogue with
Cuba's pro-democracy opposition and always addressing human rights
issues during high-level visits. Since 1996, the EU's official policy
has been to maintain contacts with Cuban opposition members, but
activists say such visits are increasingly rare.

"The EU's renewed commitment to meeting with opposition leaders and the
explicit call on the Cuban government not to impede such visits is an
encouraging step," said Jennifer Windsor, Freedom House executive
director. "Freedom House urges all EU member states to fully and
consistently implement the provisions of this declaration, thereby
strengthening the EU's common approach to supporting human rights,
fundamental freedoms, and peaceful democratic change in Cuba."

Freedom House also welcomes the EU Council's call for the Cuban
government to unconditionally release all political prisoners, guarantee
freedom of expression and allow citizens to exercise their right to
determine their future. It was essential for the Council to reiterate
these messages to Havana, which counts its improved relationship with
the European Union as one of its key foreign policy successes.

Cuba consistently ranks among the bottom tier of the world's most
repressive regimes, earning it a place in Freedom House's annual Worst
of the Worst: The World's Most Repressive Societies 2009 report.
Political rights are nonexistent and civil liberties—including freedoms
of expression, movement and association—are tightly controlled.

Cuba is ranked Not Free in the 2009 edition of Freedom in the World,
Freedom House's annual survey of political rights and civil liberties,
and in the 2009 version of Freedom of the Press.

To learn more about Cuba, read:

Freedom in the World 2009: Cuba

Freedom of the Press 2008: Cuba

Worst of the Worst 2009

Freedom on the Net 2009: Cuba

Freedom House, an independent nongovernmental organization that supports
the expansion of freedom in the world, has been monitoring political
rights and civil liberties in Cuba since 1972.

CONTACT: Balint Molnar in Budapest, +36-30-676-5779

Laura Ingalls in Washington, +1-202-747-7035

FREEDOM HOUSE WELCOMES EU'S STRONG HUMAN RIGHTS STANCE ON CUBA -
Misceláneas de Cuba (23 June 2009)
http://www.miscelaneasdecuba.net/web/article.asp?artID=21328