Potential for growth in Cuban human rights

Reestablishing diplomatic relations with Cuba has been one of Obama’s most controversial actions in office. New policies will affect everything from economics to immigration, and most importantly, human rights.

Under the embargo, Cuba’s isolation made it insusceptible to US pressure, but the Obama administration is now in the position to influence its approach to human rights. Previous US policy gave the Cuban government the perfect space to create a regime that oppresses its people, but is out of the grasp of the human rights torch bearers. By refusing to interact with Cuba, the US lost its leverage. Now, with the change in policy, the US will be able to sway the Castro regime. As conversation between the two countries is reestablished, human rights can once again find itself on the agenda.

Cuba is by no means the gold standard for human rights. Multiple reports from Human Rights Watch show that Cuba continues to torture its prisoners with physical assault and food deprivation, arbitrarily arrest dissidents and deny citizens the right to speak against the government. Until January 2013, citizens could not leave the country without an exit visa. The extent of the oppression remains vague because groups like Amnesty International cannot gather data due to Cuba’s law that restricts any non-government sanctioned organization. Despite this, ample evidence suggests that the Cuban people are suffering because their government fails to protect them.

With this oppression, Cuba is outright defying human rights treaties that it has signed. Cuba has ratified the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), yet continues to exile its citizens in direct defiance of the agreement. Similarly, Cuba does not allow labor unions, thus violating the UDHR and several International Labor Organization Conventions.

The Cuban government has historically pushed blame for its poverty onto the American embargo and its dissidents on American plots. As Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Tom Malinowski told the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations early this month, “shifting blame to America has worked for the Castro government.” Raul Castro has managed to stay relatively under the radar and repression continues.

But with the shift in relations between the US and Cuba, the Cuban government can no longer blame the US for its problems. According to Malinowski, Cuba must either reform or lose the respect of the international community. Opening communication allows the US to push Cuba to better its human rights. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson says “We believe … the Cuban people will benefit more from this than the Cuban government.” 

Human rights are starting to improve already, albeit marginally. 53 activists have been released from Cuban prisons, three of which Amnesty International considered “prisoners of conscience.” Their emancipation is a step in the right direction.

However, these releases are only a start. Cuba has yet to cut down on oppression of everyday citizens, and no improvement has been made towards developing freedom of expression or assembly.

The US has a responsibility to play a role in expanding Cuban human rights and is in prime position to do so. Obama has voiced his dedication to including human rights in all policies going forward and last week the House subcommittee on Global Human Rights talked with leaders in Cuba’s activist community in a meeting entitled “Human Rights in Cuba: A Squandered Opportunity.”

In order for the new relations with Cuba to have a real impact on human rights, such actions and rhetoric must continue. The US is in a unique place to incentivize the Cuban government to reduce oppression and should use this opportunity to its full extent.