Tuesday, June 23, 2009

1957: Temporary Press Curbs end early

Cuba History Timeline Events
February 26, 1957
The order suspending constitutional guarantees for 45 days is revoked a few days before it was due to expire on March 1, 1957, ending temporary limitations on such rights as habeas corpus, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, free assembly and free speech during the period of suspension. Its curbs, particularly those on press reporting of terrorist and revolutionary activity were the subject of much attention, and consequently much pressure on the Batista regime. The temporary curbs were characterized in Matthews' Times story as "the strictest censorship ever imposed in Cuba."

The announcement of the early lifting of the press restrictions was made the next day after the New York Times started publishing the initial Matthews Castro Sierra interview as a series. This facilitated wide circulation of those Times stories in Cuba.

The Times story reporting on the restoration of rights acknowledged the rising tide of terrorism across the nation:
"The continuing terroristic campaign became island-wide shortly after the suppression by Government troops of a short-lived rebellion in Santiago de Cuba and the landing of the Castro expedition."

based on Manuel Márquez-Sterling's Cuba 1952-1959 and
Cuba 1952-1959 Interactive Timeline

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