The United States government expressed its concern about the trial being held this Wednesday ofJonathan Torres Farrat, the Cuban teenager detained at the age of 17 afterthe historic 11J protests in Cuba.
“We are concerned about the upcoming trial of Jonathan Torres Farrat, who was only 17 years old during the #11J protests. He faces up to 8 years in prison. Families must be together. The Cuban government must release Jonathan and other detained protesters,” he declared via Twitter.Brian A. Nichols, Undersecretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the State Department.
Torres Farrat was released on bail on May 25, after more than nine months in prison for peacefully demonstrating on July 11, 2021 in Havana. “It was possible,” the child's mother said through tears.Barbara Farrat Guillén, when confirming the news toCyberCuba.
“I just picked up my son. They put bail on him overnight. They are sending everyone home,” said Farrat Guillén, who constantly denounced the unjust imprisonment of her son and incessantly demanded his release.
The teenager was arrested in August of 2021, after being related to the protests that took place in the 10 de Octubre municipality. He was shot during demonstrations and beaten in prison by guards. He was imprisoned for seven months despite being a student with no criminal record.The Prosecutor's Office requested eight years of deprivation of liberty for him for the alleged crimes of contempt and public disorder.
The trial, which will be held this Wednesday and Thursday "will happen 8 months after the prosecutor's request was notified, corresponding to EFP 833, in which 15 protesters are accused by Prosecutor Vivian Pérez Pérez of committing crimes of attack, contempt, disorder public and instigation to commit a crime,” the Justice 11J working group on arbitrary detentions said in a statement.
Likewise, given the summons issued to his mother by the Popular Court of October 10to testify in Torres Farrat's trial, the platform denounced “the lack of instruction and the lack of legal protection of which Bárbara Farrat is a victim, who should have been informed about her right not to testify against her son.”
Torres Farrat was one of the 59 minors detained after the social outbreak of 11J, according to the sub-registry prepared by Justicia 11J. His arrest occurred a month after the demonstrations (on August 13), under the excuse of an interview from which he would only emerge nine months later.
During that time, his file 'was lost' and the tax request was only released in March of this year. The young man was released from prison after complications from hepatitis that he acquired in the Jóvenes de Occidente prison.
“Tomorrow, November 23, there will be the trial of Jonathan Torres Farrat, son of Bárbara Farrat Guillén. He was the only minor whose trial was postponed and the precautionary measure was changed when international pressure increased. Now, that eyes are no longer on the situation of those who were detained as minors due to the 11J protests, they return to judge him, just as many of the other minors have been imprisoned again," denounced the activist and academic.Anamely Ramos inFacebook.
In the nine months of political imprisonment, his mother has been a victim of arbitrary arrests, interrogations and coercion by the repressive forces for demanding the release of her son and all political prisoners.
“Jonathan has a baby who is only a few years old from whom he may be separated again and many consequences, both physical and psychological, from the mistreatment he suffered in prison. A conviction for him will have terrible consequences,” Ramos stated in his publication.
Cuban activists asked the foreign press to cover the trial. “Also to the diplomats and all the social actors who have accompanied this sad and arbitrary bleeding of the Cuban people since the protests,” he added.
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