Location: Cuba
Date: March 10, 2021

Luz Escobar, a correspondent for website 14yMedio, was barred from leaving her home in Havana on International Women's Day. There were plainclothes police personnel guarding her door, as well as two women from the ministry of the interior in a nearby car, keeping surveillance. Luz was told she could not go out and was to remain inside her house. CFWIJ is appalled by the alarming state restrictions enforced against the journalist.

Luz shared her unfortunate situation on Twitter with a video clip. She stated, "I tell you that the surveillance was for # 8M2021 The State Security agents who were guarding my house left yesterday at 8pm and today # 9demarzo did not return. Here is the video of one of them telling me at 6pm that I can't go out yet. #InformarNoEsDe". In the video shared by Luz, a man in nondescript clothing is standing outside the entrance, keeping Luz from leaving her home.

This incident is not the first time Luz has faced persecution from the authorities. According to the journalist, the state police repeat this pattern on every significant occasion. The police are politicized, and they impose house arrests on the dissidents to avoid public mobilization. U.S. congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar shared her disappointment with Luz's situation. She said, "It’s #InternationalWomensDay but women journalists like @Luz_Cuba are persecuted, jailed, and harassed by the brutal Castro regime’s State Security agents. I’ll always stand up for brave, independent journalists who are denied their fundamental freedoms in Communist #Cuba."

According to CPJ, on December 10, 2020, Luz was kept in her home for seven days in a row to prohibit her participation in events on World Human Rights Day. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the constant harassment and intimidation towards the journalist. We demand the Cuban government end the state persecution, respect press freedom, and allow journalists to do their job. CFWIJ commends Luz Escobar for her dedication and courage in the face of oppression, and we offer her our full support.

The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.