Amnesty International designates 4 as prisoners of conscience in Cuba News
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Amnesty International designates 4 as prisoners of conscience in Cuba

Amnesty International announced on Wednesday that it designated four people in Cuba as prisoners of conscience. The prisoners of conscience include political dissident Félix Navarro, independent journalist Sayli Navarro, protester Roberto Pérez Fonseca, and activist Luis Robles. The term “prisoner of conscience” refers to people who are imprisoned for peacefully expressing their conscientious beliefs. Amnesty International calls for the release of prisoners of conscience.

Félix Navarro and his daughter Sayli Navarro were sentenced to eight and nine years in prison respectively in March 2022. The two were arrested for their connection to protests on July 11 and 12 of 2021 demanding a change of living conditions in Cuba.

Roberto Pérez Fonseca was sentenced to 10 years in prison in October 2021 for participating in the July 2021 protests. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found his imprisonment to be arbitrary in October 2023.

Activist Luis Robles was sentenced to 10 years in prison in October 2021 for peacefully protesting on a public street. Robles held a sign in support of Cuban rapper and activist Denis Solís, who is currently imprisoned.

Individual rights are a pressing matter in Cuba. Freedom of political belief is a protected right under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and human rights organizations are advocating for Cuban citizens by bringing visibility to current issues. Human Rights Watch reported in a 2022 update on Cuba that the “government continues to repress and punish virtually all forms of dissent and public criticism.” Additionally, Amnesty International has requested access to Cuba to ensure fair trials for July 2021 protestors.

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