The Cuban authorities are continuing to stifle freedom of expression on the island in spite of the much-publicised recent wave of releases of prominent dissidents, Amnesty International warned ahead of the eighth anniversary of a crackdown on activists. Hundreds of pro-democracy activists have suffered harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrest in recent weeks as the Cuban government employs new tactics to stamp out dissent. Of 75 activists arrested in a crackdown around 18 March...

Honduran authorities should conduct a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation into the serious threats received recently by a prominent human rights defender, Leo Valladares Lanza, Human Rights Watch said today. Valladares is Honduras' former ombudsman and the former president of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights. Valladares told Human Rights Watch that he has received intimidating phone calls, and noticed people monitoring his home and following him, after he questioned the...

Cuba remains on the list of the "Enemies of the Internet" prepared by Reporters without Borders (RSF) of the most net-repressive countries, while Venezuela was included in the list of "Countries under Surveillance." The government of President Hugo Chávez has introduced for the first time tools to control Internet in "a climate of increasing tension between the leadership and the dissident media," said the RSF report. The paper noted that those...

International police agency INTERPOL has issued a "code red", its highest level of alert, for the arrest of Víctor Ramón Vargas Salazar, a,member of the FARC who is wanted by the Spanish High Court because of his links with ETA. On their website, INTERPOL lists Vargas Salazar, a 36-year-old Colombian, as wanted for acts for terrorism, and states that the court which issued the arrest warrant which underlies the latest "code red" was 'Nº 6 at the Spanish...

Mexican authorities have suspended screenings of “Presumed Guilty,” a popular documentary highlighting flaws in the justice system, due to an appeal from a featured witness. Distributor Cinepolis was instructed to temporarily suspend the movie, deputy Interior Secretary Hector Villarreal told Milenio television. But the Interior Ministry has also lodged an appeal to keep the film in theaters. A decision is due Tuesday. A judge sought the suspension last week at the request of the...

Judge Eloy Velasco, of the Spanish National Court said that Cubillas had a constant, permanent and direct relationship, al least between 2004 and 2008, with the leadership of the Basque terrorist ETA (Basque Homeland and Freedom) and several active members of ETA commands with whom he has coordinated and implemented managerial tasks such as training, improved weaponry, and terrorist techniques. A Spanish judge ordered on Monday the prosecution of ETA member Arturo Cubillas, who was deported...

The Libyan government has authorized Venezuela to take the "necessary" actions to create an international commission in order to mediate in the conflict in the Arab country, as suggested by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. "We authorize you to take all necessary measures to choose the members and coordinate their participation in the talks," Venezuela's Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicolás Maduro read over the letter just received from Libyan Foreign...

Alan Gross faces a possible 20-year sentence for "acts against the integrity and independence" of Cuba. The 61-year-old Maryland native was working for the Bethesda-based Development Associates International on a USAID-program that promotes democracy when he was arrested in December 2009. His family, and U.S. and company officials, say he was bringing communications equipment to Cuba's 1,500-strong Jewish community. Cuban Jewish groups deny having anything to do with him. Gross's...

Saif al-Islam, a son of Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, rejected on Thursday a plan by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to send an international commission to mediate and help resolve the conflict in Libya. In an interview with British news network Sky News, Colonel Gaddafi's son said that he was not aware of the Venezuelan proposal, but he bluntly rejected a possible international mediation, Efe reported. Venezuelans, he said, "are our friends, we respect them and we...

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez refused Monday to condemn Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and warned the United States was preparing an invasion of the North African country to seize control of its oil reserves. "We must be prudent. We know what our political line is: We don't support invasions, or massacres, or anything like that no matter who does it. A campaign of lies is being spun together regarding Libya," said Chavez, in a televised speech to a crowd of graduates who had just...