(Bloomberg) -- A month after social media helped drive historic protests in Cuba, the communist island is tightening the screws on Internet speech, making it an offense to spread false news or make comments that damage “the prestige of the country.”
In a decree published in the official gazette Tuesday, the government outlines a broad range of cyber-offenses, including activities that cause “ethical or social harm,” such as spreading “false news stories” and sending messages that “incite protests.”
The decree also gives officials the leeway to press criminal charges.
Cubalex, a human rights group, wrote on Facebook that the language of the decree is so sweeping that “when you use your social networks to report that there's no medicine for your sick son or there's no oxygen at the hospital” you could “be committing a crime.”
A call to Cuba's Ministry of Communication seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Read More: Cuba Protests Fanned by Worst Economic Crisis Since Fall of USSR
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