FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Today, Cuba had its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council, a process that evaluates the human rights records of all UN Member States. In addition to receiving recommendations from other Member States, countries are expected to allow independent civil society organizations to fully and freely participate in their UPR process. However, the Cuban government blocked independent Cuban civil society members from traveling to Geneva to participate in their review process, just as they did last month when they blocked Cuban civil society members from traveling to Peru to participate in the Summit of the Americas.

“A country with a human rights record as abysmal as Cuba’s is no stranger to silencing its critics. But the Cuban government can’t silence the United States. We will continue to stand up for the Cuban people and get loud when the Cuban government deprives its people of their human rights and fundamental freedoms and robs them of free, fair, and competitive elections, denying them the opportunity to shape their country’s future,” said Ambassador Haley.

During Cuba’s UPR, the United States made recommendations that the Cuban government respect the human rights of the Cuban people by allowing free, fair, and competitive elections, stopping the unjust jailing of journalists and activists, and releasing political prisoners.