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The Cuban Attorney General’s Office reported this Tuesday, January 25, on the cases of people who are being prosecuted for their participation in the protests of July 11, 2021 against the Cuban Government. In total, there are 790 accused of “acts of vandalism”, “serious disorderly conduct”, “sedition”, among others.
The historic anti-government demonstration experienced in Cuba on July 11 of last year still has a tail. Hundreds of people are going through a judicial process after having taken to the streets to protest and some of them face up to twenty years in prison.
In total there are 790 detainees during the marches, including dozens of minors. Fear persists among many Cubans because their relatives are still imprisoned to this day, with a delayed legal process.
After the captures, protests by dissidents and activists were registered for several weeks, as well as complaints from some governments about the trials of the protesters and the minors detained, in particular.
It is until now that the Cuban Attorney General’s Office makes public its announcement on the legal response given to the events that occurred on July 11 that, in the organization’s words, threatened the constitutional order and stability of the country.
Dozens of minors detained since July
According to information published by the official newspaper Granma, “once the investigation was concluded, the Prosecutor’s Office received 117 files from the preparatory phase corresponding to the most significant events, with 790 people indicted for acts of vandalism, which attacked authorities, people and property, as well as serious disorderly conduct. 21% of these people had criminal records.”
The Attorney General of the Republic of #Cuba reiterates that it acts in accordance with the constitutional mandate, within the legal framework, in accordance with due process, the protection of the interests of the State and respect for the rights of all citizens #CubaIsFair pic.twitter.com/J7NrZaKsBt
— Communist Party of Cuba (@PartidoPCC) January 25, 2022
The newspaper assures that, until now, 110 files have been presented to the Justice, “with 710 defendants for trial, 69% of them insured with the precautionary measure of provisional prison” and, in addition, of these detainees “115 have between 16 and 20 years, against whom it was decided to bring criminal action before the courts.”
Among the youngest detainees, 55 are between 16 and 18 years old and 28 of them are in pre-trial detention. Likewise, 60 are between 19 and 20 years old, of which 41 are insured with provisional prison.
The decision of the Prosecutor’s Office to make the arrests was based on statements from witnesses and victims, as well as videos published on different social networks “that allowed the identification of the accused in acts that typify crimes of public disorder, instigation to commit a crime, damage, robbery with force and violence, attack, sabotage and sedition”.
According to Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, “the current judicial processes in Cuba are carried out in full compliance with the law and within internationally accepted standards,” as he expressed on his Twitter account.
Those arrested face up to 20 years in prison.
Many young people face decades behind bars, as family members and also human rights groups have assured, amid the repression against some of those who participated in the July 11 protest.
At the demonstration, Cubans denounced the communist government, the shortage of food, medicine and electricity.
According to some NGOs, more than 1,000 people were arrested following the protests and several trials have resulted in prison sentences of more than 20 years.
In an interview with the Reuters news agency, Emilio Román, a resident of Havana, said that his sons, ages 18 and 25, as well as his 23-year-old daughter, joined the July protests and, if convicted, face 15 , 20 and 25 years behind bars respectively. “Everyone came out because of the noise, as if they were going to have a party, but no one thought they were going to act so severely,” he said. “The number of years (in prison) they are asking for, it is as if they were terrorists, murderers. They are my only three children,” added Román.
For his part, Alcides Firdo, also a resident of the Cuban capital, said that his son Jaime, 22, was arrested for public disorder but that the charges were later elevated to sedition, which carries harsher penalties. “I don’t understand (…) You kill a person (in Cuba) and they give you 8, 10, 15 years, and now for throwing a stone they are going to go to jail for 20 years. That is an injustice,” he said.
With EFE, Reuters and local media
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