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The Cuban William Sosa, a resident of the province of Las Tunas, was taken to prison after having been detained on November 12th for posting critical opinions about the country's situation on Facebook, according to a report from his son, Miguel Sosa, on social media.
"Thank you all for your support. My dad was transferred to a correctional facility today. Thank you for all the support," the young man wrote on Facebook, using his father's account, confirming the new measure taken against his father.
Sosa was arrested by State Security, which accuses him of the crime of “disobedience”, a provision of the Cuban Penal Code often used to penalize citizens who express opinions contrary to the regime.
According to her family, this is an arbitrary detention without legal grounds.
The son of the detainee stated that the authorities warned his father about his posts before arresting him.
"His crime was to think and write," she stated, emphasizing that her father only shared economic and social analyses of the Cuban reality "with respect and reason."
Miguel described the arrest as "illegal and a violation of human rights," recalling that the Cuban Constitution guarantees freedom of thought and expression, although in practice "these freedoms only exist on paper."
The young man also shared an official citation that would demonstrate that his father was summoned by the authorities prior to the arrest.
"There is a home that needs it, that awaits it, and that is suffering a terrible anguish from this injustice," he wrote earlier.
William Sosa is known for publishing reflections on the Cuban reality, particularly on topics related to the economy, corruption, and social decay.
His case has sparked solidarity among users on social media, who are demanding his immediate release under the hashtag #LibertadParaWilliamSosa.
The crime of "disobedience," as outlined in Articles 186 and 189 of the Penal Code, carries penalties of six months to two years in prison or fines of up to 500 units. It has been applied on multiple occasions against activists, journalists, and citizens critical of the regime.
The case of William Sosa adds to a long list of Cubans who have been persecuted for expressing their opinions online, within a context of increasing state control over the digital space.
Human rights organizations have reported that the regime uses gag laws and cybersecurity decrees to punish peaceful expressions and instill fear among users.
In Cuba, expressing an opinion contrary to the government can cost one's freedom. The arrest and transfer of Sosa once again highlights the repressive nature of the Cuban judicial system, which prioritizes silencing criticism over addressing the real issues facing the country.
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