Amnesty International (AI) called on the President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, to release “immediately and unconditionally” the Cuban artists Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel ‘Osorbo’ Castillo, as well as the opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer, whom he declared “prisoners of conscience”. The organization highlighted the deterioration of human rights on the Caribbean island
Amnesty International (AI) demanded this Thursday, May 18, the president of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canelthat “immediately and unconditionally” release the Cuban artists Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel ‘Osorbo’ Castillo, as well as the opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer, whom he declared “prisoners of conscience.”
“Luis Manuel, Maykel and José Daniel are prisoners of conscience deprived of their liberty solely for exercising their human rights and must be released immediately and unconditionally,” the organization said in an open letter addressed to Díaz-Canel and published on its page. from Internet.
“We hope that Maykel, Luis Manuel, José Daniel and all the people unjustly imprisoned in Cuba can immediately recover their freedom,” he added.
Otero Alcántara and Ferrer have been incarcerated since July 11, 2021, while ‘Osorbo’ Castillo was arrested on May 18, 2021.
In the letter addressed to the Cuban president, signed by AI’s director for the Americas, Erika Guevara, the group has information that Otero Alcántara, rapper Castillo and Ferrer have health problems and are subject to “mistreatment.”
AI’s letter is released after Pope Francis’ envoy, Cardinal Beniamino Stella, asked the Cuban authorities in February to release the protesters imprisoned for the historic protests of July 11, 2021, demanding more freedoms and improvements. economic.
The United States has also insistently demanded that Cuba release these prisoners.
“In Cuba the human rights situation continues to deteriorate,” according to AI, after noting that in the 2021 demonstrations there were 1,812 people arrested, of whom 768 remain in prison.
Likewise, AI warned that the new Criminal Code, approved in May 2022 and which punishes “subversive activities”, threatens to “further consolidate restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, and presents a terrifying panorama for independent journalists, activists and anyone critical of the authorities.”
According to the organization, since January “at least 10 activists have been detained for several days or weeks in the operations and investigation centers of the Ministry of the Interior of their provinces in Cuba.”
Amnesty also warned about the “arbitrary detention” of five Cubans who participated in a demonstration on May 6 in the eastern town of Caimanera, which was triggered by the lack of food and medicine. The authorities announced that they will be brought to justice.
“We urgently call for you to comply with your international obligations and protect the human rights of all those detained for exercising their freedom of expression in Cuba.”
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