Cuban journalist barred from leaving home
Luz Escobar under undeclared house arrest
HAVANA TIMES – Cuban authorities must allow journalist Luz Escobar to leave her home, and should stop harassing and intimidating members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Today, security agents standing at her Havana home barred Escobar, a reporter for the independent Cuban news website 14yMedio, from going outside for the seventh consecutive day, according to a tweet posted by the journalist, who also spoke with CPJ via messaging app. Today marks the United Nations’ World Human Rights day; on the same day last year, Escobar was also prevented from leaving her home, as she tweeted at the time.
“It is very telling that today, as the world celebrates Human Rights Day, Cuban authorities are denying independent journalist Luz Escobar the basic right of free movement,” said CPJ Central and South America Program Senior Researcher Ana Cristina Núñez. “Cuban authorities must immediately allow Escobar to leave her de facto house arrest and report freely, and should refrain from harassing and obstructing members of the press.”
Since December 4, Escobar posted pictures and videos of the security agents who have indicated that she is not allowed to exit her home, and of police vehicles stationed nearby.
CPJ emailed the Cuban National Revolutionary Police and the Ministry of the Interior for comment, but did not receive any responses.