August presented an alarming situation in Cuba, marked by a record number of homicides, five deaths in custody, hundreds of repressive incidents, and dozens of citizen protests amidst the ongoing crisis of basic services.
The most recent monthly report from Cubalex on the human rights situation on the island documented 52 homicides in August, the highest number recorded since the organization began monitoring this variable in 2024.
In total, Cubalex reported 315 criminal incidents during the month. In addition to the 52 homicides, it recorded five femicides, five suicides, and one suicide attempt, which it describes as a significant increase in violence and public insecurity.
The deterioration of security coincided with the ongoing energy and water crisis, as well as the collapse of public services such as electricity, water, and gas, issues that once again sparked protests in various parts of the country.
Five deaths in custody and 543 incidents of harassment
In the repressive sphere, the organization recorded 280 events that included 543 incidents of harassment against at least 187 victims. Half of those incidents involved individuals deprived of their liberty.
Among the most serious incidents are five deaths in custody. Cubalex linked these cases to a pattern of denial or insufficient medical care in detention and incarceration facilities. In their public presentation of the report, the organization attributed these deaths to cruel treatment and a lack of adequate medical attention.
Violations against individuals deprived of liberty constituted the largest category, with 139 events. This was followed by incidents of violence or harassment, with 50; transfers, with 45; threats or coercion, with 38; and police operations for surveillance or monitoring, with 33.
The report also documented 30 victims of arbitrary detention and three victims of enforced disappearance, in incidents that involved both groups of individuals and minors.
Death threats against political prisoners
The situation inside the prisons is prominently featured in the report. Political prisoners Ediolvis Marín Mora and Fausto René Ramos were the individuals who experienced the most repressive incidents in August, with seven each, followed by Danisbel Labrada, with five.
According to Cubalex, Marín Mora, detained in Kilo 8 prison, was threatened with death by an officer, sent to a punishment cell, and subsequently transferred to Kilo 7. Ramos, a human rights activist also held in Kilo 8, reportedly received death threats and was similarly sent to a punishment cell.
In the case of Labrada, the report indicates a new charge related to the Canaleta protest and the denial of medical attention.
At least nine individuals deprived of their liberty went on hunger strikes during the month. Cubalex identified the Kilo 8 Special Prison in Camagüey as the facility with the highest number of recorded repressive incidents, while the Provincial Prison of Las Tunas concentrated the largest number of deaths in custody during this period.
94 protests amid blackouts and lack of services
The energy crisis has once again sparked expressions of discontent in the streets. Cubalex verified 94 public protests during August, less than half of the 200 counted in July, although the organization warns that this is an underreporting.
57% of the protests were concentrated in Havana, and many were noise protests related to power outages. The peak occurred on August 4, when 16 noise protests were documented following a new disconnection from the National Electric System.
The authorities' response included the detention of groups of protesters in at least three demonstrations involving banging pots and pans, which took place in Calabazar, Old Havana, and Camagüey. In Lawton, Havana, a mother was also detained after voicing her concerns about the lack of access to water in her home, according to the report.
Among the new political prisoners mentioned by Cubalex is the activist Pedro Lázaro Gutiérrez Collado, delegate of the Opponents for a New Republic Movement (MONR), who was arrested during a noisy protest in Calabazar and taken to El Vivac.
Havana leads in repressive incidents
The documented repressive actions were distributed across 54 municipalities in 14 provinces and the Isle of Youth. Havana topped the record with 102 events, followed by Camagüey with 36, and Santiago de Cuba with 24. Cienfuegos was the only province where the Cubalex team did not record any events during August.
For Cubalex, the figures reflect a state apparatus that prioritizes coercive control over the protection of life, safety, and the satisfaction of basic needs. The organization denounces that arbitrary detentions, preventive police operations, mobility restrictions, and constant harassment affect the freedoms of expression, association, and protest.
The report was prepared based on 1,278 records corresponding to events that occurred between August 1 and August 31, 2026: 998 news articles used to analyze the context and 280 instances of repression. The information primarily came from Facebook publications, digital media, complaints received directly by Cubalex, and content published on other social media platforms.
The organization itself warns that its figures should not be considered total or definitive, due to the difficulties in documenting reports made on private profiles or cases of individuals being pursued who lack access to cell phones or mobile data.
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