The Center for the Opening and Development of Latin America (SLEEP) nominated the Cuban political prisonerSaylí Navarro Alvarez as a candidate for the International Award for Courage and Responsibility presented by the Czech organization Forum 2000, founded byVaclav Havel.
“Navarro, a member of the Ladies in White, a political prisoner of the Castro Dictatorship, and sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Bellotex prison, Matanzas, is one of the 47 people nominated for this award,” he indicated insocial networks the National Cuban American Foundation (FNCA).
In itsbiographical sketch, CADAL highlighted that Navarro Álvarez is one of the political prisoners ofthe historic protests of July 11, 2021 (11J) in Cuba. The young woman was arrested on July 12 in Matanzas, when she was going to the Perico police station to inquire about the fate of protesters arrested in the protests.
Member of the organizationLadies in White For more than 10 years, Navarro Álvarez is the daughter of also a political prisoner,Felix Navarro, one of the opponents imprisoned during “The Black Spring” of 2003.
As of today, both are imprisoned, accused of the crimes of attack, public disorder and contempt by the courts of the Cuban totalitarian regime, which imposed in March 2022 asentence of nine years for Félix, and eight for his daughter, Saylí.
In the Bellotex prison since April 18, 2022, the day the appeal trial took place in the Jovellanos Court, Navarro ÁlvarezShe refuses to be released in exchange for forced exile, a proposal that has been sent by theState Security to opponents with a prominent profile and high visibility within theCuban civil society.
From prison, the opponent has remained firm in her position andhas reported mistreatment, abuse and humiliation that he has received from the prison authorities.
In addition to Saylí Navarro (nominated by CADAL), other Cubans are on the list of candidates to receive the International Award for Courage and Responsibility. Cuban political prisonersLuis Manuel Otero Alcántara, José Daniel Ferrer García andMaría Cristina Garrido Rodríguez are nominated to receive the award, along with the opponentManuel Cuesta Morúa.
Among the nominees - an extensive list of personalities from around the world - are the Ukrainian presidentVolodimir Zelensky, Venezuelan politicsMaria Corina Machado or the Russian opposition leaderAlexei Navalny.
In mid-March, Navarro assured that he will not give in to pressure from State Security agents who propose exile to escape his sentence.
"I make known to all friends and brothers inside and outside of Cuba my decision regarding what has been happening in recent months in relation to those sanctioned by July 11 and the visits that different officials of State Security to the different penitentiaries,” Navarro explained in an audio message sent from the prison.
The prisoner of conscience specified that, in her case, “in relation to leaving my homeland, my statements since April 28, 2022, the date I was admitted to this prison, have been very clear. And it was precisely the fact of not leaving my country.”
“This decision has not changed one bit even though today, March 18, I am completing 11 months of unjust confinement. It is my right, like the right that all Cubans have, to leave my country or not,” he added.
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