When I was a 21-year-old reporter, right out of college, I could barely find the local police station, much less write anything that might get me in trouble with the law. Of course, I was working in suburban Washington, D.C., not Holguin, Cuba.
That's where Liannis Meriño Aguilera, 21, was working as an independent journalist — a dangerous profession in Cuba, no matter your age — when she was detained for two hours by a couple of security agents after she wrote something they apparently didn't like. Meriño is editor of the Youth Without Censorship news agency.
Their message to her: Find another line of work.
Her message to them: Fuck you.
Reporters Without Borders has the story:
"The agent in charge of combating the opposition in Holguín ordered her to stop working as an independent journalist. He also accused her of reporting false information, which is punishable by imprisonment.
"After being released, Meriño rejected the accusation and said she intended to continue her work. Her news agency, which was created in September, consists of six young journalists aged between 19 and 30.
"Meriño recently wrote a dispatch for Cubanet about the dismissal of two persons from a cigar factory for homosexuality. It may have been this that prompted the use of threats by the authorities."
Cubanet has the original story about Meriño's arrest, in Spanish. You can also read her story about the firing of the cigar workers.
Recent Comments