IACHR Denounces 'Rights Violation' Against Cuban Artist and Dissident Maykel 'El Osorbo'

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has declared the Cuban state responsible for violating the rights of artist and dissident Maykel Castillo, known as 'El Osorbo.' Castillo was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2022. The IACHR's report, released by the NGO Prisoners Defenders, found Cuba in violation of multiple rights, including the right to life, liberty, security, and integrity.

According to the Organization of American States (OAS) body, the Cuban state also infringed upon Castillo's civil rights, rights to justice, assembly, association, protection against arbitrary detention, and the right to a regular trial. Castillo is a co-author of 'Patria y vida,' a song that became an anthem for anti-government protests in Cuba in July 2021 and won two Latin Grammy awards.

The IACHR report specifically addressed Castillo's arrest on May 18, 2021. It noted that the charges against him – including contempt, resistance, and disobedience – did not constitute crimes against state security and carried penalties of less than six years. Consequently, the commission deemed his provisional detention, ordered on May 24, 2021, to be illegal.

Furthermore, the IACHR's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Castillo endured a forced disappearance for approximately 14 days, during which his whereabouts were unknown to his family. The commission also highlighted issues with his trial, which was reportedly held "behind closed doors," preventing access for diplomats and citizens, thus violating guarantees of a regular process. The report also pointed to a lack of judicial independence, noting Castillo's lawyer was disqualified just three days before his trial.