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UN Torture Investigator Blocked From Cuba Mission

   VOA News 09 June 2010
   Austrian  Manfred  Nowak,  UN  Special  Rapporteur on Torture, answers
   journalist's  questions  at  the  European  headquarters of the United
   Nations in Geneva, Switzerland (File Photo)

Photo: AP

   Austrian  Manfred  Nowak,  UN Special Investigator on Torture, answers
   journalist's  questions  at  the  European  headquarters of the United
   Nations in Geneva, Switzerland (File Photo)

   The  United Nations torture investigator says he has been blocked from
   visiting Cuba to look into allegations of human rights abuses.

   Manfred  Nowak  said  Wednesday he was disappointed when Cuba informed
   him  they  would  be unable to accommodate his mission before his term
   ends several months from now on October 30.

   Nowak said Cuba had issued a "clear invitation" to allow him to assess
   the torture situation on the ground, but repeated attempts to schedule
   the trip had been blocked.

   There was no immediate comment from Cuba.

   Last  week, the U.S.-based human rights group Freedom House named Cuba
   among  the  top  20 worst human rights abusers in the world, saying it
   and the other listed countries severely suppress political opposition,
   independent organization, and criticism of the state.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.

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