Héctor Maseda Guitiérrez
In 2008, Héctor Maseda won an International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists.
I have always been and will always be faithful to the truth, even if it harms me
Héctor Maseda Guitiérrez is a journalist and pro-democracy activist, and the husband of Ms Laura Pollán, a leader in the Las Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White), a human rights organisation which advocates for the liberation of political prisoners. He is also a former nuclear engineer and he founded the banned Liberal Democratic Party. The Fidel Castro regime arrested him during the 2003 "Black Spring" and sentenced him to 20 years in jail. He was released in February 2011.
2015 saw a number of rapid developments with respect to the diplomatic status of the island with the restoration of diplomatic relations with the United States. Human rights defenders remain vigilant, even if they are hopeful for change, and the government has yet to prove a commitment to human rights. The Cuban government controls all the media and those who advocate for freedom of expression are being constantly targeted for their legitimate human rights work.
