EU slams deterioration in Cuba's human rights record

LUXEMBOURG - EU foreign ministers have slammed the Cuban government for its deteriorating human rights record saying the bloc should agree on a longer term strategy on its relations with the "island of freedom."

Meeting in Luxembourg on Monday (12 June), the ministers urged Havana to "unconditionally release all political prisoners," while lamenting the fact that the prisoner numbers have increased since last year.

They also criticised "several dozen acts of violent harassment and intimidation, including acts of repudiation," noting that police and security forces took part in the acts.

The statement is part of a regular evaluation of the island's civil liberties performance, following last year's withdrawal of bloc's diplomatic sanctions.

The Dutch delegation argued that the EU should re-consider its policy on Cuba as there are no signs of political improvement after over a year of closer ties with officials - a point supported by several countries, particularly the Czech Republic.

But in the declaration itself, the bloc stressed it would "welcome the resumption of a political dialogue with the Cuban authorities," while asking every EU "high-level visitor" to raise human rights concerns with the country's officials.

The EU froze its relations with Cuba's communist regime in June 2003, after 75 dissidents, including 26 independent journalists, were arrested and sentenced for up to 28 years in prison.

Only around 15 of them have been released since then.

In January 2005, EU foreign ministers suspended the sanctions to see whether dialogue with Havana would prove a more effective policy.