Madrid, July 2, 2020
The Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH) condemned the repressive wave of the government of Miguel Díaz-Canel and Manuel Marrero against independent activists and journalists throughout the country, to avoid peaceful protests against police violence and racism, called after death of the young black Hansel Ernesto Hernández at the hands of the police.
On Tuesday, June 30, the political police and the different dependencies of the Interior Ministry commanded an ostentatious national police operation that included, according to reports received from Cuba by our observers, at least 78 arbitrary arrests and 146 activists besieged in their homes, under police surveillance. Threats, citations, other types of harassment and internet outages were also reported.
These government actions against the opposition and civil society take place amid a broader climate of repression and intimidation, which includes hundreds of exemplary judicial processes against citizens for alleged breaches of social isolation measures. This circumstance has also been taken advantage of by the government to reimpose “the exit permit” to leave the country, as announced by the Spanish Consulate in Havana.
“We condemn the widespread violation of human rights that is taking place in Cuba. It is not fair that the country be held hostage to the will of a few, regardless of the suffering, overwhelm and lack of hope with which the majority lives. We demand the government of Miguel Díaz Canel and Manuel Marrero Cruz to end the repression and initiate the deep and comprehensive reforms that Cubans need, “said the OCDH.
In total, in June there were 437 repressive actions, of which 161 have been arbitrary arrests and 28 citations. The independent journalist Jorge Enrique Rodríguez, a Havana correspondent for the Spanish newspaper “ABC” and “Diario de Cuba”, remains in detention and awaits trial. Meanwhile, activist Keilylli de la Mora Valle, a member of the Patriotic Union of Cuba, was arrested and sentenced to six months in prison for the alleged crimes of contempt of authority, spread of the epidemic and disobedience.
At least 16 of the repressive actions were related to Decree-Law 370, which threatens activists with imposition of fines and imprisonment for their internet publications.
