Appeal trial held for protesters from Güira de Melena without the presence of the accused

The political prisoners who demonstrated inMane Güira duringthe historic 11J protests in Cuba They were excluded this Friday from the appeal trial of their sentences, while their relatives denounced the procedure as a judicial farce.

“Today, as everyone knows, the appeal trial of the July 11 protesters from the Güira de Melena municipality was held. Something unacceptable happened: they held the trial without the prisoners. The relatives are outraged,” reported the activist.Marcel Valdes in their networks.

In a video shared in their publication, relatives of those imprisoned expressed their indignation and helplessness in the face of the decision of the Cuban authorities, and denounced discriminatory treatment towards their own people who, unlike other convicts of 11J, were not able to attend the trial of appeal.

“The regime, in order to continue manipulating information and processes, chose to exclude in the cassation appeal hearing the physical presence of the accused in the events of July 11 in Güira de Melena, in order to be able to sustain a lie; Only those who are free will attend,” he stated.Marta Dominguez Calero on the independent journalist's social networksJorge Bello Domínguez, political prisoner of 11J sentenced to 15 years of deprivation of liberty for their participation in the demonstrations.

According to the activist, the11J trials “They are not being fair or even.” In addition to “manipulation, fraud and fabricated lies,” Domínguez Calero denounced the comparative insult that these trials represent without the presence of the convicted people who are appealing their sentence.

For the activists of Justicia 11J, a group dedicated to systematizing information on those detained, imprisoned and repressed for their participation in the protests, the exclusion of the imprisoned protesters from Güira de Melena is a“serious lack of the guarantees of due process and the principle of equality before the law”, as they were able to know after consultingGiselle Morfi, non-governmental organization lawyerCubalex.

“With Cubalex, we remember article 648 of Law no. 143 of Criminal Procedure. We will continue to investigate the reasons given to the accused, family members and lawyers,” declared the Cuban civil society group.

Hurt by the absence of their loved ones at the appeal trial, relatives of the political prisoners expressed their disagreement with the procedure outside the Court. “I am very worried about my son andfor all the prisoners of 11J, that they have them in the Combinado del Este,” said the young man's mother in distress.Daisel González Álvarez (23 years).

“I am the mother of Juan Pablo Martínez. I ask for freedom for my son. And justice. JUSTICE,” said this man's mother through tears.Juan Pablo Martínez Monterrey (27), arrested after participating in the demonstrations and accused of public disorder, sabotage, theft with force.

The children of these Cuban mothers were part of the thirty protesters from Güira de Melena, province of Artemisa, whoThey were tried by a military court in the Havana municipality of Diez de Octubre between March 7 and 11.

In the judicial process, the protesters faced charges of continued sabotage, sabotage, public disorder, contempt, attack and robbery with force, for allegedly attacking TRD currency collection stores in that town in Cuba, according to the lawyer.Julio Ferrer.

"Many of the protesters of July 11 have been subjected to military jurisdiction and tried by military courts, especially those who were or took part in the events that occurred in relation to the TRD stores," Ferrer explained to the press in March, ensuring that it was not the first group of 11J prisoners tried by the military.

According to the jurist, Law No.147 of 2021 on military criminal proceedings, in force since February 1, 2022, establishes that military courts are competent to carry out criminal proceedings for acts committed in military zones.

The currency collection stores are considered military installations, because they belong to or are subordinated to, or sponsored by, the Revolutionary Armed Forces, he stressed.

Among those who received sentences for their participation in the protests in this municipality, the activistLizandra Góngora Espinosa , mother of five children whom the military courts sentenced to 14 years in prison for the alleged crimes of continuous sabotage, robbery with force, contempt and public disorder.

The activist was accused, along with Bello Domínguez, of being responsible for the attack on the US dollar store La Imprenta during the 11J demonstrations in Güira de Melena.The Artemisa Military Prosecutor's Office kept them in preventive detention for months.

“The lawyers did their job well. "Let's wait to see what the courts determine," he said this Friday.Yuleidis López González, wife Bello Domínguez, outside the court. Next to her, the father ofYandi Hernandez Goose Mountains (28), the wife ofYasiel Hernandez Marquez (34), the father of Juan Pablo… Relatives destroyed by the unjust imprisonment and harsh sentences imposed on young people whose only “crime” was to protest, demand their rights and demonstrate for a change that brings freedom and prosperity to Cuba.