Freedom House chides Spain

Via Misceláneas de Cuba:

April 6, 2007

His Excellency Miguel Angel Moratinos
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Plaza de la Provincia, 1
28071 Madrid
Spain

Excellency:

Spain has long served as a model of a peaceful democratic transition and has played an important role in encouraging democratic reform around the world. The Spanish government, as a member of both the European Union and the Community of Democracies, has committed itself to the promotion and protection of fundamental individual freedoms.

Your recent visit to Cuba was the first by a European Union Foreign Minister since the human rights crackdown in 2003. During your trip, you conducted meetings with several high ranking government officials, but unfortunately decided not to meet with any of Cuba’s democracy advocates. Instead, after your departure, a lower ranking member of your delegation met with some representatives of the community.

This decision not to personally meet with those individuals on the front-lines of the peaceful struggle from democratic freedoms sent an unfortunate –if unintended- message that issues of human rights are not a top priority in Spanish foreign policy. It also reinforced the perception –advanced by the government of Cuba- that those who are working for reform in the country are not legitimate interlocutors to consult on the future of Cuba.

Freedom House encourages that human rights issues –especially the status of political prisoners– play an official part of the announced ongoing political dialogue. Freedom House strongly urges the Spanish government to make all efforts possible to ensure that the independent voices for democracy on the island are included in the process of dialogue on the ongoing transition.

Sincerely,

Jennifer L. Windsor
Executive Director