Normando Hernandez - The Black Spring and His Arrest
Interviewed November 2011
The Freedom Collection
Normando Hernández is an independent journalist who has dedicated his career to providing alternative sources of news and information in Cuba. In 1999, he co-founded the Cuban Foundation for Human Rights, and in 2000, he established the Camaguey Association of Journalists, the first independent organization in Camaguey province since 1959. Declared a “prisoner of conscience” by Amnesty International following Cuba’s “Black Spring” (2003–2010), during which dozens of dissidents and journalists were imprisoned for their activism, Mr. Hernández was exiled to Spain in 2010 and has since resettled in the United States.
The author of numerous articles and publications, including the book El Arte de la Tortura: Memorias de un Ex Prisionero de Conciencia Cubano (The Art of Torture: Memories of a Former Cuban Prisoner of Conscience, 2010), he has received several journalism and human rights awards, including the Norwegian Writers Association’s Freedom of Expression Award (2009), the PEN American Center’s PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award (2007), and a special mention by the Inter-American Press Association for excellence in journalism (2003). Mr. Hernández is currently a Reagan-Fascell Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy, where he is examining the Cuban communications monopoly and considering strategies by which independent journalists may combat totalitarianism.
Normando Hernandez: Release and Exile The circumstances of his release and exile from Cuba. Normando Hernandez: International Support for the Cuban Opposition Discusses the importance of international support for dissidents. Normando Hernandez: The Black Spring and His Arrest Relates the story of his arrest during Cuba’s infamous Black Spring of 2003 Normando Hernandez: Life in a Cuban Prison Graphically discusses the appalling conditions in Cuban prisons. Normando Hernandez: Harassment by the State Discusses how the Cuban government used pressure to keep dissidents in line. Normando Hernandez: Background Normando Hernandez discusses his background.
Normando Hernandez: Release and Exile The circumstances of his release and exile from Cuba. Normando Hernandez: International Support for the Cuban Opposition Discusses the importance of international support for dissidents. Normando Hernandez: The Black Spring and His Arrest Relates the story of his arrest during Cuba’s infamous Black Spring of 2003 Normando Hernandez: Life in a Cuban Prison Graphically discusses the appalling conditions in Cuban prisons. Normando Hernandez: Harassment by the State Discusses how the Cuban government used pressure to keep dissidents in line. Normando Hernandez: Background Normando Hernandez discusses his background.
Video interviews with Normando Hernandez:
- Release and Exile The circumstances of his release and exile from Cuba. - International Support for the Cuban Opposition Discusses the importance of international support for dissidents. - The Black Spring and His Arrest Relates the story of his arrest during Cuba’s infamous Black Spring of 2003 - Life in a Cuban Prison Graphically discusses the appalling conditions in Cuban prisons. - Harassment by the State Discusses how the Cuban government used pressure to keep dissidents in line. - Background Normando Hernandez discusses his background.
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CDV Note: All the video parts above are worth seeing and listening to. But CDV particularly recommends the story about his arrest, Life in Cuban prison and the Harassment by the State. Unfortunately CDV doesn' t manage to republish and embed the videos.
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