ARJ supports artist Tania Bruguera arrested in Cuba

May 4, 2015, 1:51 pm

ARJ, together with international coalitions of arts and free speech advocacy groups*, issued a statement to support the Cuban performing artist Tania Bruguera, detained in Havana since December 2014, since Cuban authorities have confiscated her passport, banned her of leaving the country and other charges are still bought against her (public order offenses among others). She has been arrested on December 30, before a performance she was going to deliver, inviting citizens to come and “free their speech” for 60 seconds on the Revolution Square of Havana, where Fidel and Raul Castro had themselves delivered most of their speeches. Tania Bruguera’s performance for free expression and political participation in Cuba was organised with the collective #YoTambiénExijo (I also demand) and  had to take place after some liberalisation especially in the relation with the United States had been announced.

ARJ and the international coalition urge Cuba to drop the charges against Tania Bruguera and call the country to send a powerful message to its people and artists, for freedom of expression.

To read the coalitions’ letter to Cuban authorities, click here.

MEPs are also concerned by this case and have raised their concerns in a letter adressed to Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on April 24, by calling her to take action and call the Cuban government to drop charges against the artist and release her.


*This group is composed of the American Booksellers for Free Expression, the European Council of Artists, the European Composer & Songwriter Alliance, freeDimensional, Freemuse, the Foundation in Den Vreemde, the Initiative for Freedom of Expression – Turkey, the International Committee for Artists’ Freedom, the National Coalition Against Censorship, the Observatoire de la liberté de création, the Swedish Society of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, Vivarta and ARJ, the independent working group powered by Culture Action Europe. 

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