The 16 convicted of 11J in Palma Soriano saw their sentences ratified after an appeal trial that was held last Thursday in the Provincial Court of Santiago de Cuba.
The confirmation of the sentences meant the definitive entry into prison for Andres Lugo Pérez, the only one of them who was released on bail and who must now serve the eight years in prison that were imposed on him, according to his wife Yenicel Rodríguez, who described the decision as unfair after announcing on social networksfirst thing on Friday, that they had just taken him away.
“The judge said that all the evidence she had and everything that was done in the previous trial and in this appeal are sufficient for her to conclude that there have been no errors”
Lugo’s wife advanced Marti News that none of the 16 convicted received any discount. “Since I saw that they called Andrés to give him his verdict and four riot police came in, I knew they were going to take him away. They took him out the door, handcuffed him and took him with the others who were already prisoners in the same cage car. They told me that I have to take her things (toilet products, tank to store water and underwear), “he declared.
The Palma Soriano 16 were sentenced in the first instance at the beginning of May for all kinds of crimes that include public disorder, instigation to commit a crime, damage, escape of prisoners or detainees, resistance and refusal of help, disobedience, contempt and attack.
“The judge said that all the evidence that she had and everything that was done in the previous trial and in this appeal are sufficient for her to conclude that there have been no errors, that there is all the evidence that she needs to express a verdict. No one raised the number of years, but none fell either. And it is the last word, he said that they do not have the right to appeal to the Supreme Court, that this is the final sentence. They are ready to comply ” Rodriguez told Marti Newsand added: “Here in Cuba there is no justice, one always goes with that faith and that hope, but the judge, since Wednesday, had told my husband that on the last day of the hearing he should go with his toiletry bag” .
The convicted are Yurisnel Rodríguez, 36 years old, who must serve 12 years in prison, as well as Jorge García García, and Jorge Reinier Arias García, 37 years old. His sister, Elizabeth Arias García, also received four years in prison in this case, although without internment.
José Ávila Cedeño, 38, and Andrés Quinta Torres, 44, were sentenced to 10 years. Francisco Candiot García was sentenced to nine years in prison, while Reynaldo Dell Arias received an eight-year prison sentence, the same as Lugo Pérez .
“As they were being led away, the boys started banging on the walls of the cage car and screaming freedom. It was depressing and exciting at the same time.”
They are followed by Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo and Daniel Fernández Álvarez with seven years in prison.
For their part, Ángel Bismaury Herrera and Rodennís Ávila Corujo received six years in prison, and José Manuel Arias Campo and Enrique La O Martínez, five. Finally, Daineris Moya García was sentenced to three years of correctional work without internment.
Susana García, mother of Jorge Reinier and Elizabeth Arias García, told Marti News that, when the appeal trial concluded, “when they were taken away, the boys began to hit the walls of the cage car and shout freedom. It was depressing and exciting at the same time.”
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