CUBA: The jailed Cuban journalist, Raúl Rivero Castaneda, was yesterday awarded the UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize. The prominent journalist and poet, who was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment last year, was awarded the prize for his "long-standing commitment to independent reporting - the hallmark of professional journalism".
Imprisoned along with 25 other journalists in March 2003, Mr Rivero was tried under Article 91 of the penal code, for "undermining the independence or territorial integrity of the State". He was said to have written biased articles and to have "collaborated" with the United States.
Chairman of the international jury which recommended he receive the $25,000 award, Jamaica's Mr Oliver Clarke of Gleaner Co Ltd, said he hoped the international attention would encourage the Cuban authorities "to respect individuals' basic human rights to express their views freely".
Mr Rivero (59) studied at the Havana Faculty of Journalism and then worked for the state news agency, Prensa, in Moscow from 1973 to 1976. He returned to Cuba to head the science and culture service of the news agency but in 1989 resigned from the National Union of Cuban Writers and Artists. Despite constant harassment from the authorities, in 1995 he founded an independent news agency, Cuba Press. He ran training workshops for journalists and contributed to international publications.
He is being held in the Canaletas prison in Ciego de Ávila, about 460 km east of Havana. He is reported to be suffering from circulatory problems and to have lost over 20lbs in weight since his imprisonment.
His wife, Ms Blanca Reyes, has expressed extreme concern about his health. In an interview last year she described prison conditions as "unacceptable".
"He suffers from the heat and the cells are filthy and infested with cockroaches and mosquitoes. Even Fidel Castro, when he was jailed for armed rebellion against Batista, didn't have to suffer such conditions."
