An international media rights group has called on the European Union (EU) to intercede in the Cuban government's recent crackdown on independent journalists.
The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders sent a letter Monday to the British government, the current holder of the EU presidency, saying the release of imprisoned journalists should be a condition of any further relaxing of sanctions against Cuba.
In June, the EU extended the suspension of sanctions against Cuba for one year.
Reporters Without Borders says Cuba currently has 24 journalists in jail. It says one of the journalists is the editor of an independent press agency who was given what the group calls a "summary" trial and was denied a defense attorney.