Human Rights Council: 44th Session of the Universal Periodic Review, Cuba

Thank you Madame Vice-President,

New Zealand welcomes the delegation of Cuba.

We commend the legislative changes made to Cuba’s Family Code, including the legalisation of same sex marriage.

New Zealand recommends that Cuba:

1. Take measures to ensure that all people can exercise their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association;

2. Immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience who have been imprisoned for the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression, association or peaceful assembly;

3. Ratify the ICCPR and its Second Optional Protocol; and

4. Continue efforts to remove internet access restrictions to guarantee the right to access information.

We wish Cuba every success in its review.

Thank you Madame Vice-President.