Over 1,100 political prisoners in Cuba today: A brief look at two current Cuban prisoners of conscience

Maykel Castillo Pérez and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara.

 

There are over 1,100 political prisoners in Cuba today. The majority were arrested during mass protests across Cuba on July 11, 2021. Others have spent decades behind bars. 

This blog takes a brief look at two Amnesty International prisoners of conscience.

Yesterday marked two years since the start of political show trials against Maykel Castillo Pérez and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, two nonviolent and internationally recognized artivists, which resulted in lengthy and unjust prison sentences for both.

Maykel Castillo  and Luis Manuel in show trial footage.

Maykel Castillo Pérez, musician, and two-time Grammy winner, was imprisoned on May 18, 2021. He was put on "trial" after more than a year in prison, and today, despite being innocent, has been locked up for over three years.

Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, a visual artist recognized by Time Magazine as an icon in 2021, was arrested when he tried to go out and join nonviolent protesters on July 11, 2021.  

T @AnamelyRamos Today marks two years since the trial of Maykel Castillo Pérez & Luis Manuel Otero. Maykel is "tried" after more than a year in prison & today he has been locked up for over 3 years, being innocent. @CIDH @UN #FreeMaykelOsorbo #FreeLuisma#FreePoliticalPrisoners https://t.co/HZCLdv9tTZ

— Center for a Free Cuba (@cubacenter) June 1, 2024

Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel “Osorbo” Castillo Pérez were unjustly sentenced to five and nine years in prison, respectively on June 24, 2022. Both had remained jailed following their arrests on the dates mentioned above.

Reports smuggled out of Cuban prisons indicate inhumane conditions, and ill treatment of inmates by prison officials.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has been unable to examine prison conditions in Cuba since 1959 with the exception of visits allowed by the Cuban dictatorship in 1988 and 1989.