Human rights in Cuba.

The Commission on Human Rights,

Reaffirming the obligation of all Member States to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms as stated in the Charter of the United Nations and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Mindful that Cuba is a party to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,

Reasserting the Commission's obligation to promote and protect human rights on the basis of the universal nature of the Declaration, in all countries of the world, independently from other bilateral or regional issues affecting the country in question,

Expressing its concern at the continued violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba, such as freedom of expression, association and assembly and rights associated with the administration of justice, despite the expectations raised by some positive steps taken by the Government of Cuba in the past few years,

Considering the urgent need to adopt the necessary measures to ensure full respect for human rights in Cuba and to contribute to developing a more pluralistic society and a more efficient economy, and considering also the willingness of the international community to assist therein,

1. Welcomes the fact that the Government of Cuba has taken the first steps towards the opening of the society for religious institutions, and expects that Cuban citizens will be granted the right to freedom of religion and belief;

2. Encourages the Government of Cuba to continue to allow thematic special rapporteurs to visit Cuba;

3. Expresses the hope that positive steps will be taken with regard to all human rights and fundamental freedoms;

4. Expresses its concern about the adoption of the Law for the Protection of the National Independence and Economy of Cuba, and regrets the other steps taken by the Government of Cuba which are inconsistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant human rights instruments;

5. Calls upon the Government of Cuba to ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religion, and to provide the appropriate framework to guarantee the rule of law through democratic institutions and the independence of the judicial system;

6. Reiterates its concern about the continued repression of members of the political opposition and about the detention of dissidents, most recently of the four members of the "Grupo de Trabajo de la Disidencia Interna", and calls upon the Government of Cuba to release all the persons detained or imprisoned for peacefully expressing their political, religious and social views and for exercising their rights to full and equal participation in public affairs;

7. Calls upon the Government of Cuba to consider acceding to human rights instruments to which it is not yet a party, in particular the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

8. Invites the Government of Cuba to afford the country full and open contact with the democratic world, in order to ensure the enjoyment of all human rights for all Cuban people by utilizing international cooperation, by allowing a freer flow of people and ideas and by drawing on the experience and support of other nations;

9. Calls upon the Government of Cuba also to cooperate with other mechanisms of the Commission;

10. Recommends that the Government of Cuba take advantage of the technical cooperation programmes available to Governments under the auspices of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, designed to broaden the scope and to speed up reforms in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms;

11. Decides to consider this matter at its fifty-sixth session under the same agenda item.

50^th meeting
23 April 1999

[Adopted by a roll-call vote of 21 votes to 20, with 12 abstentions. See chap. IX.]