VOA常速英语2020--古巴打击关于冠状病毒的报道（在线收听）

Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the U.S. government. The Communist government of Cuba continues to imprison, persecute, and intimidate journalists and their families. Indeed, the Committee to Protect Journalists considers Cuba one of the most hostile environments for the press in the world, ranking the island nation among the 10 Most Censored Countries. The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba has made independent reporting even more difficult and dangerous as the Cuban government spreads disinformation about its handling of the crisis. Independent Cuban journalists are increasingly being fined under Decree 370, which penalizes Cubans who express their opinions on the internet. Approved in May 2019, the decree bans the dissemination in Cuba of “information contrary to the social interest, morals, good manners, and integrity of people” on social media networks and other digital platforms. 

接下来是一篇反映美国政府的社论。古巴共产党政府继续囚禁、迫害、恐吓记者及其家人。事实上，保护记者委员会认为古巴是世界上新闻界最恶劣的环境之一，把这个岛国列为十个受审查最多的国家之一。冠状病毒袭击古巴，随着古巴政府散布处理危机的不实信息，使得独立报道变得更加困难且危险。古巴的独立记者越来越多地因第370号法令而被罚款，该法令惩罚在互联网上发表意见的古巴人。该法令于2019年5月批准，禁止在古巴的社交媒体和其他数字平台上发布“违背社会利益以及人的道德、礼貌和诚实的信息。”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic started in Cuba, at least seven activists and journalists have been fined under Decree 370, according to Hugo Landa, director of the site CubaNet. Fellow CubaNet journalist Camila Acosta was fined in late March for publishing information about the new coronavirus on her Facebook profile. In addition to the fine of 3,000 pesos, or $120, Acosta’s cell phone was confiscated. She told Radio Martí in an interview that she fears being jailed. The situation of imprisoned Cuban journalists has also become more dangerous due to the spread of COVID-19 among the prison population. The case of lawyer and journalist Roberto Qui?ones is of particular concern. He was jailed for refusing to pay a fine for committing “resistance” and “disobedience” – charges stemming from his April 22, 2019, arrest while reporting on a trial. He has served more than half of his year-long sentence, during which time he suffered escalating health problems. Qui?ones and other imprisoned journalists in Cuba face an elevated risk of contracting COVID-19, as they cannot isolate, social distance, or follow other basic health guidelines, said Natalie Southwick, Central and South America Program Coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists. USAID condemns the Cuban regime’s crackdown on the media in the “strongest possible terms,” said Acting Administrator John Barsa. The United States pays tribute to the Cuban journalists who work, at great personal risk, to bring candid news and accurate information to the Cuban people – particularly during this pandemic. There has never been a more important time to raise awareness about the need to protect press freedoms. That was an editorial reflecting the views of the U.S. government

据CubaNet网站负责人雨果·兰达介绍，自COVID-19大流行病在古巴爆发以来，有至少7名活跃分子以及记者根据第370号法令被罚款。同为CubaNet记者的卡米拉·阿科斯塔在3月底因在其Facebook个人资料上发布有关新冠状病毒的信息而被罚款。除了3000比索或者120美元的罚款以外，阿科斯塔的手机也被没收。她在接受Martí电台采访时表示她很害怕被监禁。由于COVID-19在监狱人口中的传播，被监禁的古巴记者的处境也变得更加危险。律师和记者罗伯托·奎尼奥斯的案件尤其令人关注。他因拒绝支付犯“抵抗”和“不服从”罪的罚款而入狱——指控源于他于2019年4月22日在报案时被捕。他服刑一年半以上，其间健康问题不断恶化。古巴保护记者委员会中南美项目协调员娜塔莉·索思威克说，在古巴，奎尼奥斯和其他被囚禁的记者面临着更高的感染COVID-19的风险，因为他们无法隔离、社会距离或遵循其他基本健康准则。美国国际开发署代理署长约翰·巴萨表示以“强烈的措辞”谴责古巴政权对媒体的镇压。美国向古巴记者们致敬，他们冒着极大的个人风险，为古巴人民带来坦率的新闻和准确的信息-特别是在这次流行病期间。再没有比现在更重要的时间来提高人们对于保护新闻自由的必要性的认识。这是一篇反映美国政府的社论。