Niober García Fournier
Courage over fear of repression: A Cuban activist decides to speak out publicly in Brussels and Prague
Niober García Fournier is an independent journalist and the Director of EYE on CUBA, a platform which publishes reports on human rights abuses on the island in order to provide independent information to the local and international public about what is happening in Cuba.
Eye on Cuba works through a network of activists with presence throughout the country, who monitor and follow up on cases of human rights violations, which are published on their website, with the aim of informing the international community and putting pressure on the Cuban authorities. Eye on Cuba carries out training on human rights reporting for its members around the country and is involved in human rights awareness raising for the general public.
Niober has been detained in several occasions, has had his possessions confiscated, has been banned to travel outside Cuba and was hospitalised after being stabbed on the street, all as a result of his human rights work.
2015 saw a number of rapid developments with respect to the diplomatic status of the island. 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.
