The organization gives the Cuban State five days to report on the situation of the teenager imprisoned for participating in the Morón protests, accused of the crime of sabotage
14ymedio, Havana, April 10, 2026 – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) sent an official request to the Cuban Government demanding urgent information about the situation of Jonathan Muir Burgos, the 16-year-old who remains deprived of liberty after participating in the protests last March 13 in Morón, Ciego de Ávila.
The request, addressed Thursday to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, gives a period of five days for the State to respond about the conditions of Jonathan Muir’s detention, his state of health, and the measures adopted to guarantee his integrity.
The IACHR clarifies that this request does not yet imply a decision on the granting of such measures but underscores the urgency of verifying the teenager’s situation. The request has been made following a petition for precautionary measures submitted by the organization Cuba Decide (Defensa CD).
“The case of Jonathan has ceased to be an isolated complaint and has come under formal international observation,” Juan Carlos Vargas, executive director of Cuba Decide, told Martí Noticias. “The regime now has to respond within a very short timeframe. What is happening with a minor who is imprisoned, held incommunicado, and at risk?” he added.
“The regime now has to respond within a very short timeframe. What is happening with a minor who is imprisoned, held incommunicado, and at risk?”
The teenager’s family is denouncing what they consider a pattern of torture. Initially, the calls Jonathan was allowed to make from prison took place at 1:00 a.m. Both the time and his cries describing his situation and his pleas – “Please, get me out of here” – were unbearable for his parents. But since Thursday, April 9, those calls have stopped completely. Furthermore, the first scheduled visit was canceled, which has heightened the family’s concern.
In its request, the IACHR asks the Cuban authorities for clarification on three key aspects: the official position regarding the request for international protection; a detailed report on the conditions of detention, including access to medical care since Jonathan suffers from skin conditions and is not receiving treatment for them in prison, according to his relatives; and a risk assessment detailing whether the competent authorities have analyzed the danger the minor faces and what measures have been adopted to guarantee his safety.
Jonathan David Muir Burgos was charged with the crime of sabotage, an accusation that could cost him at least seven years in prison. The authorities ordered his transfer to Canaleta prison, a facility that in February was the scene of a riot violently repressed by regime forces after a young man committed suicide following complaints about the prison’s poor food.
While the dictatorship responds or not, Jonathan remains inside a maximum-security prison. Time is running against him
The teenager is one of the cases of several minors detained in Cuba in the context of the anti-government protests that have taken place since last March 6, following the deterioration of the already serious energy situation. Jonathan Muir is being held in a maximum-security prison under conditions not officially clarified. Relatives and civil organizations have reported psychological pressure against the young man and mistreatment in the conditions of his confinement.
“While the dictatorship responds or not, Jonathan remains inside a maximum-security prison. Time is running against him,” Vargas warned Martí Noticias. “This request is not just another procedure; it is an urgent tool to prevent the situation from escalating into something irreparable.”
Translated by Regina Anavy
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