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The activist and independent reporter Ángel Cuza Alfonso was released after spending more than two years in prison on charges that opposition organizations have described as fabricated and politically motivated.
The release was confirmed on social media this Saturday by activist Thais Franco, who was detained alongside him in April 2021 during a peaceful protest on Obispo Street in Havana.
"My people, our brave brother, Ángel Cuza, has just been released from prison. Thanks be to God," he wrote in a Facebook post.
Ángel Cuza was arrested in December 2022 in a store in Old Havana while waiting in line to buy chicken. According to the activist's own testimony, police officers detained him based on false accusations of disturbing the peace, supposedly for carrying “sticks and stones,” something he categorically denied and several witnesses also refuted.
The People's Municipal Court of Centro Habana sentenced him in November 2023 to one year and six months in prison along with two other young men: Lázaro Rolando Kessel Barrueto and Yasser Rivero Bonn.
Cuza reported that the trial was fraught with irregularities, with a majority presence of regime supporters and without all the defendants having legal representation.
Collaborator of the independent media CubaNet, has been a continuous target of surveillance and political persecution by the Cuban authorities due to his reports on repression, the humanitarian crisis on the island, and the erosion of fundamental freedoms.
As we mentioned earlier, in 2021 Cuza had already been imprisoned for participating in the protest on April 30 on Obispo Street, in support of the artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara. At that time, he was released in January 2022 after several months of detention.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Release of Political Prisoners in Cuba
Why was the activist Ángel Cuza imprisoned?
Ángel Cuza was imprisoned on charges of "public disorder" while waiting in line to buy chicken in Havana. According to his testimony and that of several witnesses, the accusations of carrying "sticks and stones" were false and fabricated by the Cuban regime.
What does Ángel Cuza's release mean for the Cuban opposition movement?
The release of Ángel Cuza is seen as a moral victory against the repression of the Cuban regime. Activists and human rights organizations believe that his liberation is a response to internal and external pressures in an attempt by the government to improve its international image.
What irregularities have been reported in the trials against activists in Cuba?
Trials against activists in Cuba have been riddled with irregularities, according to allegations from the accused themselves and their defenders. There has been a noted lack of adequate legal representation and a dominant presence of regime supporters in the courts, which undermines judicial impartiality.
What conditions do released political prisoners face in Cuba?
The political prisoners released in Cuba face restrictive conditions under a "conditional early release," which requires them to demonstrate "good behavior." If they fail to meet these conditions, they can be reincarcerated at any time.
What criticisms have emerged regarding the process of releasing political prisoners in Cuba?
Several human rights organizations have described the release process as "opaque, incomplete, unjust, and fraudulent". They have pointed out that many of those released are common criminals and not political prisoners, and that the conditions of release do not guarantee full freedom nor prevent further arrests.
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