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HRW: 800 political prisoners remain jailed in Cuba five years after July 11 protests
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Crime & Justice

HRW: 800 political prisoners remain jailed in Cuba five years after July 11 protests

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Human Rights Watch reported that approximately 800 political prisoners remain jailed in Cuba, nearly half for participating in the July 11, 2021, protests.
  • The NGO urged the Cuban government to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and end its systematic repression of dissent.
  • HRW documented accusations of unfair trials, disproportionate sentences based on unreliable evidence, and severe abuses during detention, including physical abuse and lack of medical care.

Five years after the widespread anti-government protests on July 11, 2021, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that around 800 political prisoners are still incarcerated in Cuba. The organization highlights that nearly half of these individuals are imprisoned for their participation in those demonstrations, which were the largest in decades.

The Cuban government must immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and end its systematic repression of dissent.

— Human Rights WatchDemanding action from the Cuban government regarding political prisoners.

HRW is calling on the Cuban government to take immediate action. "The Cuban government must immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and end its systematic repression of dissent," the NGO stated. The organization asserts that Cuban courts have convicted many individuals despite them legitimately exercising their freedom of expression and association.

Furthermore, HRW documented cases where protesters were accused of violent crimes, such as throwing stones, based on questionable or uncorroborated evidence. These individuals received disproportionately harsh prison sentences. Those who have been released from prison have described severe abuses during their detention, including beatings, solitary confinement, and inadequate medical attention.

to many of them were convicted despite that they legitimately exercised their freedom of expression and association.

— Human Rights WatchDescribing the basis for convictions in Cuban courts.

The report specifically mentions activist and artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, who was recently released from prison under a conditional release that requires exile. Other prisoners like Juan Enrique Pérez Sánchez, Duannis Dabel León, and Lizandra Góngora are noted for facing mistreatment and health neglect. Pérez Sánchez, a July 11 protester, is serving an eight-year sentence for charges including contempt, public disorder, and sabotage, with prosecutors citing alleged "scent footprints" on stones as evidence, a claim forensic experts deemed unscientific.

accused of violent crimes, such as throwing stones, based on unreliable or uncorroborated evidence, and were imposed disproportionate prison sentences.

— Human Rights WatchDetailing the nature of charges and sentences faced by protesters.

Human rights organizations have reported that the July 11, 2021, protests led to the detention of over 1,400 people. HRW's denunciation underscores the ongoing human rights concerns within Cuba.

after leaving prison, described serious abuses during their detention, including beatings, isolation and lack of medical care.

— Human Rights WatchReporting on the experiences of former detainees.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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