Blogger Yoani Sanchez detained in Cuba
HAVANA TIMES (dpa) — Award-winning Cuban opposition blogger Yoani Sanchez has been detained, pro-government blogger Yohandri Fontana said on Friday.
Sanchez was taken into custody late Thursday in the eastern Cuban city of Bamayo, Fontana wrote. She had been planning to attend the start of the trial there on Friday of Spanish right-wing politician Angel Carromero for the traffic accident in which Cuban dissident leader Oswaldo Paya and another man were killed in July.
According to Fontana, Sanchez had travelled to stage “a provocation and a media show that harmed the proper course of the trial.” The pro-government blogger said Sanchez’s husband Reinaldo Escobar had also been detained.
Short-term detentions of dissidents are frequent in Cuba. The government uses the detentions to prevent dissidents from voicing their opposition to the authorities during high-profile events, which recently included Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the island. The detainees are usually released soon after such events take place.
Carromero, 27, a member of Spain’s ruling People’s Party, faces two counts of negligent homicide, and the public prosecutor is seeking a seven-year prison term, the pro-government website Cubadebate reported.
Carromero was driving the car when it crashed into a tree on July
22 near Bayamo.
Payo and fellow dissident Harold Cepero died, while Carromero and Swedish politician Jens Aron Modig suffered minor injuries. Paya, 60, and Cepero had been riding in the back seat and were not wearing seat belts.
The official investigation showed “categorically” that Carromero was speeding at the time of the crash on a stretch of road that was being repaired, Cuban authorities said shortly after the accident.
Carromero was discharged from a hospital within a day, and has since been held by Cuban authorities.
Cuban dissidents and Paya’s family had expressed doubts about the nature of the accident and voiced suspicions of foul play. Both Carromero and Modig, however, said in Cuba that it was just an accident with no other vehicles involved.
Lawrence W !! These are just generalities on this link! I asked for a SPECIFIC paper or other link with hard numbers like I always provide! NOW if you cannot do that I can “understand”!! If you want to defend your point of view you have to do your HOMEWORK!!
Lawrence W said: “If I was Cuban and had to choose between what you consider to be “free and democratic” and Cuba’s government, the choice would be a no-brainer. Are you the best apologist for the American Empire that they could find?”
Lawrence W !! Since youre NOT Cuban in and out of the island, should you not leave the dialogue to WE CUBANS??? Just saying!! And please have the COURAGE to put a real name that can be verified, you NON-CUBAN!
There you go again, erecting another ‘straw dog’ argument of your own invention and then shooting it down. No doubt you enjoy shooting fish in a barrel as well.
There’s nothing in HT’s report about the official investigation results claiming the car “could not have reached the accident site in the time reached from his starting point unless he was travelling at excessive speeds.”
Read the HT article and weep – http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=75309
Advice: find a better source for policing matters than CSI:Miami.
If I was Cuban and had to choose between what you consider to be “free and democratic” and Cuba’s government, the choice would be a no-brainer. Are you the best apologist for the American Empire that they could find? Wow, it’s gotten to be that bad. I hadn’t realised.
Heere’s the link you requested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_embargo_against_Cuba
And they were released several hours later.
Canada acts similarly (see my previous comment about the G20 protesters) or worse if it feels criticism of government might be threatening. Canadians are usually more anesthetized than Cubans when it comes to protesting. Government can count on media to underreport or spin the story to its advantage.
And to highlight arrests in other countries, as the Globe & Mail did, to make it look like we have it so much better here.
Citizens here certainly want a new Canada, but under the control of business elites, we haven’t a hope in hell of getting one without a fight.
Stop focusing on the minor sins in other countries and concentrate on the major ones in the country you claim to be a citizen of.
So if “dictators fear the freedom of information more than anything”, is that why short-term detentions of dissidents are common in your country as well? As a purported Canadian, you must be aware of the over 1000 arrests that were made of G20 protesters, making it the largest mass arrest in Canadian history. The police were heavily criticized for brutality during the arrests.
Don’t forget that old saying, ‘people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones’. And please stop acting like an idiot. It’s giving Canadians a bad name on this website.
jerzy !! Can you supply specific data with a link about this “siege” on the Cuban people? The only “siege” I know is the one the Castro “Government” has had on the Cuban people’s Human Rights and Economy for over 53 years!
Can you splain the following numbers as it pertains to this “siege”. Always lots of generalities from you but never any analysis with real numbers! Supply something along this data type!
U.S.-CUBA TRADE AND ECONOMIC COUNCIL, INC.
ECONOMIC EYE ON CUBA- February 2012 – Report For Calendar Year 2011
2011-2001 U.S. EXPORT STATISTICS FOR CUBA
http://www.cubatrade.org/CubaExportStats.pdf
Data From Cuba’s own web site showing trade with US between $440 million to almost $1 billion in 2008??
SECTOR EXTERNO / EXTERNAL SECTOR – 8.4 – Intercambio comercial de mercancías por países seleccionados y áreas geográficas (Conclusión) Trade in goods in selected countries and geographical areas (Conclusion)
Estados Unidos de América (USA)
http://www.one.cu/aec2009/esp/08_tabla_cuadro.htm
que sera, sera, what ever will be will be, the future´s not ours to see, que sera, sera. cuba will be a liberal democracy………………………when cuba is a liberal democracy.
To Humberto: Sanchez is a product of US oppression. In case if you missed last 50 years – Cuban nation lives under siege and as little as they have left they still share with the world for just a handouts. It is understood that not all people can live THIS poor for THAT long. Handfull starts getting rebellious and would do ANYTHING to ease the pain. Some leave. Some get angry. And there’s a few who’d sign with the oppressor for handouts. Unfortunately there’s never absence of extremes that will resort to any vicious act since they are just like that anyway on the top of splendor of recognition and generous oppressor’s reward. These people are extremely dangerous playing oppressors hand within a nation united in it’s desire for freedom and independence. The very fact that she is still allowed draw her obscenities is a prove of incredible tolerance and patience of Cuban government and people. Since you are such a fan of word “fascism” I might have to bring more light to it for your reconsideration. It is ideology promoting oppression and discrimination, mainly dependent on aggression and militaristic expansion (I’m sure it sounds familiar). If you claim that Castro stands for all of that – you know yourself that you’re full of shit. One thing for sure – she does just that!
The ¨categorical¨evidence that Cuba possesses is that Carromero could not have reached the accident site in the time reached from his starting point unless he was travelling at excessive speeds. While this may generally be true, it does not prove he was speeding at the actual time of the accident. Not exactly CSI:Miami those Cubans! BTW, where are all the Lawrence W´s and Grady´s to defend a Cuban government policy based on what a person is GOING to do. Didn´t Tom Cruise star in a science-fiction movie about that? Maybe those guys in Cuba have figured out a way to know the future. If so, why can´t they see the day is coming that Cuba is really free and democratic. Everyone else does.
Griffin… you stuck in cycle of disinformation. The TRUE information would bring knowledge about crimes against humanity committed by US government when it comes to Cuba. You just happen to follow governmental “oppression to submission” which is a brainwash as opposite to INFORMATION.
jerzy!! Yoani is being detained illegally! You support fascist acts like that?
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL VIDEO: Routine repression in Cuba – Harassment and detention of political dissidents, human rights activists, journalists and bloggers across Cuba has risen sharply over the past 24 months. – Mar 22, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyWLTbHMHmc&feature=youtu.be
GOOD! Keep that snake caged!
“Cuba detains 22 dissidents before meeting”
Cuban authorities detained leading dissident Guillermo Farinas and 21 other activists Thursday in the city of Santa Clara, …The activists were preparing to discuss a document titled, “Citizen demand for another Cuba,” added opposition activist Ramon Jimenez.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/cuba-detains-22-dissidents-before-meeting/article4590148/
The citizens want a new Cuba, the regime is giving them the old Cuba.
Dictators fear the freedom of information more than anything.