The Prosecutor’s Office reduced this Wednesday its initial request for sentences for the six minors of 11J who are being tried this week in the Municipal Court of Diez de Octubre, in Havana. This was reported by Yudinela Castro, the young man’s mother Rowland Jesus Castillo, who now faces a request for 23 years in prison for 12.
This decision comes when the protests of Cuban families multiply and, also, the international denunciations against the harshness of the regime towards the young protesters of last July 11.
The United States Embassy in Cuba recently described the trials of minors as “shameful,” and has repeatedly called for your immediate release. Likewise, last January the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights denounced before the UN and Unicef that there are a total of 39 minors under 21 years of age detained for the 11J protests.
This decision comes when the protests of Cuban families multiply and, also, the international denunciations against the harshness of the regime towards the young protesters of July 11
According to Castro, in statements to Marti News, About Brandon David Becerra Curbelo, for whom they asked for 18 years –one year more than he currently has–, now weighs a request for five years of correctional work without internment.
The rest of the minors under 18 on trial have also seen their possible sentences reduced: Kendry Miranda Cárdenas and Lázaro Noel Urgelles Fajardo, 20 years and 13 years in prison, respectively, to 10 years, and Nayn Luis Marcos Molinet and Giuseppe Belaunzarán Guada, from 17 years and 13 years in prison, respectively, to 8 years.
Castillo’s mother also announced that this Thursday, the defense lawyers would request the elimination of the crime of “sedition” for which the young people are prosecuted and which is the one that supposes these high sentences.
At the moment there is no additional information on the process, in which a total of 33 protesters are tried, some of them present on July 11 at the emblematic Toyo corner, where a police patrol ended up overturned.
________________________
Collaborate with our work:
The team of 14ymedio is committed to doing serious journalism that reflects the reality of deep Cuba. Thank you for joining us on this long road. We invite you to continue supporting us, but this time becoming a member of our newspaper. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
