IACHR Grants Precautionary Measures in Favor of Journalist Roberto de Jesús Quiñones Haces in Cuba

March 10, 2021

Washington, DC—On March 9, 2021, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 24/21, through which it granted precautionary precautionary measures in favor of Roberto de Jesús Quiñones Haces, in Cuba, whom it deems to be at serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to his rights to life and integrity in the context of his work as an independent journalist.

According to the petition, in the time that the beneficiary has been working as an independent journalist, he has been subjected to acts of intimidation, harassment, arbitrary detentions, illegal deprivation of liberty, and violation of domicile, among other human rights violations. The hostility directed at the proposed beneficiary has not ceased since his release: he has allegedly received threatening telephone calls and has been followed. The IACHR expressed its regret over not having received observations from the State on this matter, despite the fact that these were requested, in accordance with article 25.5 of its Rules of Procedure.

After analyzing the allegations of fact and law put forward by the the petitioners, the IACHR deemed that the information in question proves, prima facie, that the journalist Roberto de Jesús Quiñones Haces is extremely vulnerable as his rights to health, life, and personal integrity are at grave and urgent risk. Consequently, in accordance with Article 25 of the IACHR's Rules of Procedure, the IACHR requested that Cuba: a) adopt the necessary measures to protect the rights to life and personal integrity of Roberto de Jesús Quiñones Haces. These measures should enable him to be able to go about his work as a journalist without being the target of threats, harassment, or acts of violence in the course of doing so; b) agree on any measures to be adopted in consultation with the beneficiaries and his representatives; and c) report on the actions it implements to investigate the events that led to the adoption of this precautionary measure so as to prevent them from being repeated.

The fact that this precautionary measure has been granted and its adoption by the state does not entail a prejudgment on any petition that may eventually be filed before the inter-American system to allege that the rights protected by the American Convention and other applicable instruments have been violated.

The IACHR is a principal and autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate derives from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote the observance and defense of human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The IACHR is composed of seven independent members who are elected by the OAS General Assembly in their personal capacity, and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 056/21