Freedom House invites you to a special webinar event:
INSUFFICIENT BANDWIDTH
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
1:00 - 2:30 p.m. ET
via Zoom
On July 11, thousands of Cubans took to the streets in the largest demonstrations seen in the country in decades. Peaceful protesters expressed frustrations online and in the streets over the devastating impact of COVID-19 on a society already struggling with plunging tourism revenues, collapsing medical infrastructure, and the government’s failure to distribute food, medicine, vaccines, and services. In addition, pervasive chants of “freedom” and “down with the dictatorship” reflected the Cuban people’s desire for human rights and fundamental freedoms, denied to them for decades by the longest-enduring dictatorship in the Western Hemisphere.
Despite the many political, economic, and infrastructural barriers Cubans face, independent media organizations, artists, and human rights defenders have used the Internet to share their opinions and build solidarity both within the country and abroad. Yet a month after the widespread anti-government demonstrations, Cuba introduced tighter controls on the use of social media, including a ban on publications that might damage "the country's prestige". The legislation bans the spread of false news, messages and content deemed offensive or which "incite mobilizations or other acts that upset public order."
Join Freedom House on Wednesday, September 22 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET for a public virtual event alongside the United National General Assembly High-level Week, where Cuban human rights defenders and international human rights organizations will discuss the intersection of Cuba’s formalizing digital repression, human rights, and fundamental freedoms. Register Now.
This event will occur in English and Spanish with simultaneous interpretation in both languages available through Zoom.
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Introductory Remarks:
Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, Executive Vice President, Freedom House
Panelists:
Norges Rodríguez, Director, Yucabyte
Yaxys Cires, Director of Strategies, Cuban Observatory for Human Rights
Marianne Díaz Hernández, #KeepItOn Fellow, Access Now
Moderator:
Gerardo Berthin, Director of Latin America and Caribbean Programs, Freedom House
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