Increasing harassment and deterioration in the health of individuals detained for exercising human rights reveals a persistent pattern of repression and authoritarian practices.
Amnesty International is deeply concerned about a further escalation of arbitrary detention, illegal surveillance and harassment against relatives of prisoners of conscience and persons involved in prominent cases of state repression in Cuba. These recent events add to a context marked by the worsening health and conditions of detention of a number of individuals imprisoned solely for exercising their human rights.
“Constant surveillance of homes, short-term arbitrary detention and unjustified restrictions on leaving the home are part of a systematic pattern of authoritarian practices that the Cuban state is using to punish and deter any form of dissent,” said Johanna Cilano, Caribbean researcher at Amnesty International.
Constant surveillance of homes, short-term arbitrary detention and unjustified restrictions on leaving the home are part of a systematic pattern of authoritarian practices that the Cuban state is using to punish and deter any form of dissent.”
Johanna Cilano, Caribbean researcher at Amnesty International.
Harassment of family members
Amnesty International has received and verified information regarding state security operations, including police cordons around homes, permanent surveillance, unlawful restrictions on freedom of movement and threats, which affect the family members of prisoners of conscience, activists and dissidents. These authoritarian practices seek to intimidate, isolate and silence those demanding respect for the human rights, medical care or release of loved ones.
Amnesty International considers it particularly serious that these measures should target parents and other relatives whose only “crime” is to have publicly denounced human rights violations or demanded medical care and humanitarian solutions for their imprisoned relatives.
These actions are carried out without a court order, with no information on their legal grounds and no mechanisms through which to challenge them, in flagrant violation of minimum guarantees of due process.
Health of prisoners of conscience at risk
Amnesty International reiterates its concern on the alarming state of health of a number of prisoners of conscience. Loreto Hernández García and Roberto Pérez Fonseca suffer serious chronic illnesses that have progressively deteriorated in prison. Despite the fact that doctors within the prison system have confirmed the seriousness of their condition, the authorities are continuing to delay granting them prison benefits on health grounds, as provided for by Cuba law.
“The state is responsible for ensuring that all prisoners have access to appropriate health care under the same standards as are available in the community, without discrimination. Denying or delaying adequate medical care to persons in state custody may amount to a violation of the absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Arbitrarily obstructing the legal procedures available for the release on health grounds of persons with a serious medical condition puts their lives and well-being at risk,” said Johanna Cilano.
Denying or delaying adequate medical care to persons in state custody may amount to a violation of the absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
Johanna Cilano, Caribbean researcher at Amnesty International.
Amnesty International remains alarmed by the situation of Donaida Pérez Paseiro, who suffers from chronic bone pain and continues to lack adequate medical care, in addition to unjustified restrictions on contact with her children.
The circumstances of Félix Navarro Rodríguez continue to be particularly serious. He remains in prolonged isolation, with very limited access to the outdoors and no information whatsoever on his state of health. After undergoing medical tests on 12 January, neither he nor his family have received any results, despite him allegedly showing some symptoms of tuberculosis.
Transfer of Maykel Castillo Pérez (Maykel “Osorbo”)
Amnesty International has been informed of the recent transfer of Maykel Castillo Pérez to the prison known as Kilo 8, in the province of Pinar del Río, with no reasons or timely information being provided to his relatives, generating uncertainty and fear within the family. A family visit following the transfer took place under strict surveillance, with the constant presence of a guard who observed and listened to the entire conversation, raising serious concerns for the right to privacy and family contact without intimidation.
Other situations of particular concern
Sayli Navarro Álvarez continues to be detained in conditions that put her physical integrity at risk, as she is being held with high-risk common prisoners in a prison that has also lacked regular access to drinking water. The authorities have repeatedly denied her prison benefits on the ideological grounds of “re-education”.
Amnesty International is closely monitoring the case of Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and calling for his immediate release. Luis Manuel is currently serving a five-year prison sentence in the Guanajay maximum security prison, a sentence expected to expire in July 2026.
Amnesty International urges the Cuban authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience and end arbitrary detention, illegal surveillance, harassment and other authoritarian practices, as well as to ensure prompt and adequate medical care in accordance with international standards.
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact press@amnesty.org
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