A Cuban university professor was sentenced to 10 years in prison for writing slogans against the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel with a black marker in various public spaces, including the university where he worked.
The ruling, issued on September 8, 2025, by the Provincial People's Court of Villa Clara, Chamber for Crimes against State Security, imposed the sentence against Aniel Manuel Martín Barroso, 42 years old, a professor at the "José Martí Pérez" University in Sancti Spíritus.
The court found him guilty of the crimes of propaganda against the constitutional order, contempt, and damages, and imposed a combined sentence of ten years of deprivation of liberty.
In addition to imprisonment, the sentence includes a prohibition on teaching in educational institutions and additional restrictions thatprevent access to certain places, including the university itself.
According to the accusation, their "crimes" consisted of writing phrases against the regime and against Díaz-Canel with a permanent marker in various places, including the academic institution where they taught classes.
The case was processed under an ordinary procedure and was handled by the chamber specialized in crimes against State Security, a forum typically reserved for cases deemed political in nature. The prosecution requested a sentence of 10 years, which was ultimately upheld in the ruling.
Martín Barroso is currently imprisoned in Nieves Morejón prison. Family members and acquaintances have publicly reported the conditions of the facility, highlighting overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and mistreatment of inmates.
The severity of the sentence, a decade in prison for slogans written with a marker, has sparked outrage among activists and citizens both inside and outside of Cuba, who see this case as another example of the increasing repression against any expression of dissent, even when it involves symbolic and non-violent acts.
The case brings back to the forefront the cost of expressing a political opinion contrary to those in power in Cuba: losing one's freedom, profession, and life plans for a phrase written on a wall.
Filed under: