  human rights in cuba are under the scrutiny of human rights watch, who accuse the cuban government of systematic human rights abuses, including arbitrary imprisonment, unfair trials, and extrajudicial execution. cuban law limits freedom of expression, association, assembly, movement, and the press. concerns have also been expressed about the operation of due process. according to human rights watch, even though cuba, officially atheist until 1992, now "permits greater opportunities for religious expression than it did in past years, and has allowed several religious-run humanitarian groups to operate, the government still maintains tight control on religious institutions, affiliated groups, and individual believers." censorship in cuba has also been at the center of complaints. most emigration is illegal. ==history==  during spanish colonization, the oppression of the indigenous populations was chronicled at length by clergyman bartolomÃ© de las casas. the subsequent transportation of african slaves to the island, which lasted over 300 years, led to british military intervention and a determination "to put a stop to these abuses".report from the british commissionary judge, havana, to the foreign secretary (lord stanley). september 30. 1866. thomas, hugh. cuba. : the pursuit of freedom. p.1050. since cuba achieved independence in 1902, successive cuban governments have been criticised and condemned by various groups, both within cuba and internationally, for human rights violations on the island. during the latter part of the spanish colonial era in cuba, human rights on the island became a particular international concern. after a visit to the region in 1898, u.s. senator redfield proctor estimated that that up to 200,000 cubans had died from starvation and disease within "spanish forts", essentially concentration camps.http://hcs.harvard.edu/~rhetoric/proctor.htm harvard rhetorical society the concern was a contributory factor in garnering support for the spanish-american war in the u.s. after independence, and following a sustained period of instability, the 1924-33 government of [[gerard
Cuban_law Cuban_society Human_rights_by_country Human_rights_in_Cuba