CUBA: Journalist sentenced to three years’ imprisonment

19 May 2009

RAN 23/09

The Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of International PEN strongly protests the three-year prison sentence given to Habana Press director Alberto Santiago Du Bouchet on 12 May 2009, reportedly for "disrespect for authority". The circumstances around his arrest are unclear and it is said that he was denied a fair trial, including access to a lawyer. The WiPC asks the Cuban government to make public the reasons for Du Bouchet's arrest and imprisonment. If he is indeed charged solely for the non-violent expression of his views, the WiPC urges that Du Bouchet be released, as well as the 25 other Cuban writers, journalists and librarians who are currently imprisoned in violation of their right to freedom of expression .

Albert Santiago Du Bouchet Hernández, director and reporter for the Havana-based independent news agency Habana Press, was reportedly arrested on 18 April 2009 while visiting relatives in Artemisa, near Havana. The circumstances behind the arrest remain unclear but it understood that he was taken to the local police station after a verbal exchange with a police officer. The police have claimed he was shouting anti-government slogans in the street. His family has reportedly not been allowed to visit him since his arrest. He was transferred to Melena 2 Prison to the south of Havana on 10 May.

On 12 May, Du Bouchet was sentenced to three years in prison, reportedly on charges of "disrespect for authority". There are unconfirmed reports that he was also charged with "distributing enemy propaganda", but it is not known whether he was convicted of this. The trial was said to have been summary and Du Bouchet was reportedly denied access to a lawyer. According to an independent Havana-based journalist who has spoken to Du Bouchet since his imprisonment, he was jailed in reprisal for his work, which includes reporting on social issues. Du Bouchet has appealed his sentence but it is thought unlikely that the appeal will be successful (all of the many writers, journalists and librarians imprisoned in April 2003 appealed their sentences but none were successful).

This is the second time Du Bouchet has been imprisoned on "disrespect" charges. In August 2005 he was arrested a few months after attending the congress of the pro-democracy Assembly to Promote Civil Society, summarily tried without access to a lawyer and sentenced to one year in prison. He was released in August 2006, having served the sentence in full. The journalist has reportedly been threatened with prison on several occasions since his release.

Background
Du Bouchet's sentence brings to 26 the number of writers and journalists currently imprisoned for their work in Cuba. He is the fourth journalist to be jailed since Raúl Castro took over power from his brother Fidel Castro in July 2006. A further 22 writers and journalists have been imprisoned on anti-state charges since the Black Spring crackdown on dissidents in March/ April 2003. For further information, click here.