Her Excellency Ms. Teresita de Jesús Vicente Sotolongo
Ambassador to Canada
Embassy of Cuba
388 Main Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1S 1E3

May 21, 2009

Excellency,

I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of expression around the world.

CJFE is concerned that Cuban journalist Albert Santiago Du Bouchet Hernández was sentenced to three years in prison on charges of disrespect for authority, after a trial that failed to meet international standards of fairness and transparency.

Du Bouchet Hernández, director of the Havana-based independent news agency Habana Press, was arrested on April 18, 2009, near Havana. Du Bouchet Hernández was denied access to legal representation before and during the summary trial which resulted in the sentencing on May 12, 2009. This trial carries disturbing echoes of his arrest in August 2005, when he also faced trail without a lawyer, was sentenced and served one year in jail. Du Bouchet Hernández is appealing the sentence.

After Raúl Castro was named President of Cuba on February 24, 2008, there were promising signs that he would bring greater freedom of expression to Cuba. However, with 21 independent journalists and editors currently imprisoned in Cuban jails, the appearance of change does not seem to be accompanied by any real progress for press freedom.

CJFE calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Du Bouchet Hernández and all journalists imprisoned in relation to their work in Cuba. CJFE also urges the Cuban Judiciary to follow due process and provide all defendants with legal representation.

We thank you for your attention and look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Arnold Amber, President

c.c.: Mr. Jean-Pierre Juneau, Ambassador to Cuba;
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs