Holguín Prosecutor Addresses Justification for Imprisonment of Young People from El4tico

The provincial prosecutor of Holguín, Yamisel Hernández Rodríguez, publicly appeared to explain the provisional detention imposed on the young men Ernesto Ricardo Medina and Kamil Zayas Pérez, associated with the independent digital platform El4tico.

In a video circulated on the official Facebook page of the Holguín Provincial Prosecutor's Office, the official stated that the institution "controls the criminal process that was initiated to investigate the crimes of propaganda against the constitutional order and incitement to commit crimes" following the discovery of publications made from that digital space.

According to the statement, content was disseminated from El4tico that "incites the people, members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, and the Ministry of the Interior to change the constitutional order of the Republic of Cuba," as well as "slandering the actions of the political and social institutions of the country."

Hernández Rodríguez specified that "under the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law," the Prosecutor's Office placed the defendants under preventive detention. He added that "preparatory proceedings are being carried out to gather evidence and complete the investigations."

He also stated that, “with regard to the rights and guarantees enshrined in the Constitution and the laws,” the Prosecutor's Office will ensure compliance with due process and that, once the investigations are concluded, “the appropriate procedural decisions will be made.” He emphasized that the Attorney General of the Republic “will continue to act in accordance with its constitutional mandate, within the framework of legality, in defense of our people and the institutions of the country.”

This Thursday, the Provincial Prosecutor's Office confirmed in an official statement released on social media that both young individuals would remain in provisional detention while the investigation progresses.

Medina and Zayas Pérez were detained on February 6 during a dawn operation in Holguín. On February 9, the Provincial People's Court admitted a habeas corpus petition filed on their behalf, a somewhat unusual decision in the Cuban judicial system.

The hearing, held on February 12, took place under a heavy police presence around the courthouse, with uniformed officers and plainclothes State Security agents present. There were also reports of power and internet service outages in the area.

The case has garnered attention both inside and outside of Cuba and has prompted messages of support for the youth on social media, where users have called for procedural transparency and respect for judicial guarantees.