After the July 11 anti-government demonstrations, the biggest recorded in Cuba in decades, the call for new acts on November 15 has led the Cuban dictatorship to threaten activists with prosecution if they participate in the mobilization next month.
Last week, the Attorney General’s Office released an informative note in which it justified that a request for the demonstrations, the first in more than 60 years, has already been denied by the Cuban regime.
Thus, the prosecution reported that “it started warning several citizens that, if they do not comply with the decision of the aforementioned authorities, they will incur in the crimes of disobedience, unlawful manifestations, incitement to commit crimes or others provided for and sanctioned in the criminal legislation in force” .
In the note, the prosecution highlighted that the 1997 law that governs its actions provides that, among its functions, are “preserving the rights and legitimate interests of State bodies, institutions and bodies, contributing to the prevention of crime and other antisocial behaviors, the strengthening of social discipline and the education of citizens in the conscious observance of legal norms”.
The Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Havana Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, Yahimara Angulo, said last week that the organizers of the November events will face “legal consequences for promoting and carrying out illegal marches.”
In recent days, Cubans have reported on social networks and human rights organizations that they are being summoned to appear at police stations, where they are instructed not to participate in the demonstrations, at the risk of legal consequences for themselves and their families.
“I’ve just been summoned to appear at 5 pm today at the Wajay police unit. Reason…? ‘Interview’. No more siege, blackmail and intimidation! We are not criminals, we are young people expressing ourselves and simply asking for rights,” wrote a student on Twitter.
Last Saturday (23), Cuban dictator Miguel Díaz-Canel said that the United States is financing what he called a “destabilizing scheme” against Cuba, referring to protests called this year in the country. The day before, Washington had threatened new sanctions in the event of human rights violations and crackdowns on Nov. 15 organizers.
“When the government of the United States speaks, it says who finances and organizes the destabilizing scheme, adding to each small group or institution – through dollars – contributing to an initiative against the Revolution. Enough of threats, Cuba is sovereign,” said Díaz-Canel.
This month, the international organization Human Rights Watch denounced heavy repression and false trials after the July 11 protests in Cuba.
The NGO Cubalex, dedicated to the defense of human rights in Cuba, and the Justice 11J working group produced a report on the acts of July that pointed to the arrest of 1,130 people, of which 572 are still detained.
“Several released people denounced acts of torture and ill-treatment, including beatings, verbal abuse, threats of sexual abuse and the use of dogs for intimidation. They were forced to undress and shout slogans in favor of the ‘revolution’, such as ‘Viva Fidel’ and ‘Viva Díaz-Canel’”, points out the text, signed by Laritza Diversent, director of Cubalex.
According to the records of the two entities, at least 33 people contracted Covid-19 in prison, due to the poor hygiene conditions and overcrowding in the cells; detainees with chronic conditions such as HIV reported being denied access to treatment; and relatives of 40 people were denied information about where they were incarcerated.
#Cuban #dictatorship #threatens #sue #activists #participate #demonstrations