Cuban authorities have used criminal law to imprison and silence alternative voices in the country for decades. Coupled with arbitrary dismissals from state employment as a tactic to strip people of their livelihoods, this has created a deep climate of fear in Cuba for decades
Sunday's protest seemed to symbolize a break in this fear. On that day, slogans such as "we are not afraid" and "Patria y Vida" were heard. Many Cubans in different cities protested for the first time in years about the economic situation, aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of medicine and restrictions on freedom of expression.
Instead of guaranteeing their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, Cuban authorities deployed security forces that detained and surveilled people who took to the streets, as well as activists and independent journalists. The list of people reportedly detained and unaccounted for is alarming.
Despite these attacks, Cuban people and collectives like the San Isidro movement continue to resist bravely, like a flame that never goes out. Show them and the world your solidarity: join the Eternal Flame today and keep it alive - sign the petition now!
In the wake of peaceful demonstrations across the nation, Cuban authorities under the leadership of President Díaz-Canel have scaled-up a decades-long policy of repression that criminalizes peaceful protest and imprisons and ill-treats Cubans from all walks of life simply for expressing their views, said Amnesty International today, upon naming six prisoners of conscience who were detained in recent months.
Hamlet Lavastida Cordovi is a Cuban graphic artist. In recent years, he has faced obstacles exhibiting his work in Cuba and has spent periods working in other countries. In June 2021, after finishing an artistic residency in Berlin, he decided to return to Havana.
Upon arriving in Cuba, Hamlet was placed in mandatory quarantine under state custody for six days, a measure taken by the authorities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 26 June, after completing the quarantine, authorities took him to the Villa Marista detention center, without being informed of the cause of his detention.
Hamlet is being investigated for proposing an artistic performance over a private messaging conversation with other artists that, in the end, was not carried out. For this, he was charged with "instigation to commit a crime," according to habeas corpus decision issued by the Provincial People's Court of Havana, although his family fears that he risks being charged with another fabricated crime to keep him in prison. This offense appears to be being used by the authorities to punish people who show their dissatisfaction with the government's actions, even if no underlying offense has been committed.
The prosecutor has denied Hamlet bail or house arrest while awaiting trial, so he remains in a detention center, with little communication with his family.
Maykel Castillo Pérez, known by his stage name Maykel Osorbo, is a Cuban musician and member of San Isidro Movement. He is one of the authors of "Patria y Vida", a song critical of the Cuban government that has been adopted as a protest anthem. For his actions he has been constantly harassed by the authorities, including through arbitrary detentions, according to members of the San Isidro Movement.
UOn 4 April 2021, Maykel was walking in Havana when police officers questioned him and attempted to arrest him but desisted in the face of complaints from other passersby who considered the action unjust. Maykel decided to continue on his way to the headquarters of the San Isidro Movement, where in response to the events, a spontaneous assembly took place, protesting government actions through songs. Law enforcement officials were present but withdrew without making arrests.
Following this, Maykel found himself under constant state surveillance, a common practice in Cuba, and was detained for short periods on two occasions, without being told the reason for the detention. On 18 May, state security officials arrived at his home and arrested him. For ten days his family could not locate him, as the authorities refused to provide information on his whereabouts.
Maykel is currently being held in the Pinar del Río Provincial Prison, a high-security detention center far away from his home. For the peaceful exercise of his rights, he is accused of the crimes of “assault of an authority”, “resistance,” “evasion of prisoners or detainees” and “public disorder.”
On 30 April 2021, between approximately 12 and 2pm, 12 people were detained on Obispo street, Old Havana, Cuba, for peacefully protesting in support of Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, who was on a hunger strike under severe police surveillance outside his home. On 2 May, Luis Manuel was forcibly taken to a hospital, and after a month in detention at the General Calixto García hospital in Havana, he was released without any charges against him, but was detained again on 11 July, along with hundreds of others who participated in the island-wide protests. Multiple people who protested in support of Luis Manuel on Obispo street, including Esteban Lázaro Rodríguez González, an independent journalist from ADN Cuba, remain detained.
According to court documents which Amnesty International was able to review, and information provided by Cubalex, Esteban Lázaro Rodríguez González, Mary Karla Ares González, and multiple others have been charged with “resistance” and “public disorder,” both crimes which have been used for decades to silence dissenting voices in Cuba.
The activists are being held in different prisons across Cuba, mostly outside their hometowns. According to information received from news outlet ADN Cuba, Esteban Rodríguez was diagnosed with COVID-19 on 16 June 2021 and following a period of hospitalization was moved to Combinado del Este prison. As of 11 August, Mary Karla Ares González remained under house arrest, without any information on her trial.
Thais Mailén Franco Benítez is amongst the human rights activists who participated in the protest on Obispo Street on 30 April 2021 in in support of Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara.
She is being charged with "resistance" and "public disorder", according to court documents seen by Amnesty International. Both are extremely vaguely described offenses under Cuban law, often used to punish those who dissent.
Thais is being held in pre-trial detention, a measure decided by the Prosecutor - not by a judge - and which her lawyer has unsuccessfully challenged. After her arrest she was transferred to El Guatao prison, in the municipality of La Lisa, Havana, from where she was able to telephone her family.
While in prison, she suffered injuries during a fall. Her family was only able to see her momentarily when the authorities transferred her to a local hospital but were not allowed to talk to her and fear that she is not receiving adequate treatment.
Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara is an artist and member of the San Isidro Movement, a group which mobilized initially in opposition to Decree 349, which stands to censor artists. Amnesty International has named him prisoner of conscience previously three times.
She is being charged with "resistance" and "public disorder", according to court documents seen by Amnesty International. Both are extremely vaguely described offenses under Cuban law, often used to punish those who dissent.
Thais is being held in pre-trial detention, a measure decided by the Prosecutor - not by a judge - and which her lawyer has unsuccessfully challenged. After her arrest she was transferred to El Guatao prison, in the municipality of La Lisa, Havana, from where she was able to telephone her family.
While in prison, she suffered injuries during a fall. Her family was only able to see her momentarily when the authorities transferred her to a local hospital but were not allowed to talk to her and fear that she is not receiving adequate treatment.
