Cuban Political Prisoner Luis Robles, ‘The Young Man With the Placard’ Arrives in Madrid

The opponent is accompanied by his mother, Yindra Elizastigui, and his seven-year-old son 14ymedio, Madrid, October 13, 2025 — Luis Robles Elizastigui, the “the young man with the placard,” arrived in Madrid this Monday from Cuba, along with his mother, Yindra Elizastigui, and his seven-year-old son. Excited and tired, they did not want to make … Continue reading “Cuban Political Prisoner Luis Robles, ‘The Young Man With the Placard’ Arrives in Madrid”

The Cuban Authorities are Cruel to Luis Robles, the ‘Young Man with the Placard’

14ymedio, Havana, 6 October 2023 — Luis Robles Elizastigui, known as “the young man with the placard,” has been imprisoned since December 2020 in the Combinado del Este prison, in Havana, and has not yet received the change to a minimum security regime in the La Lima camp, in Guanabacoa, as the authorities promised at … Continue reading “The Cuban Authorities are Cruel to Luis Robles, the ‘Young Man with the Placard’”

The Cuban Regime is Cruel to the Family of Luis Robles, ‘The Young Man With the Placard’

14ymedio, Havana, 16 January 2023 — Yindra Elizastigui, mother of Luis Robles, “the young man with the placard”, reported on Monday that her younger son, Lester Fernández, has been detained since 19 December and is currently being held in the Valle Grande central penitentiary in Havana. Via a Facebook Live link the mother said that … Continue reading “The Cuban Regime is Cruel to the Family of Luis Robles, ‘The Young Man With the Placard’”

The Mother of Luis Robles, the ‘Young Man With the Placard,’ Denounces the Mistreatment of Her Son in Prison

14ymedio, Havana, 17 June 2022 — Yindra Elizastigui, the mother of activist Luis Robles, imprisoned a year and six months ago after demonstrating peacefully on San Rafael Boulevard in Havana, denounced in a live broadcast on Facebook this Thursday that five years in prison for her son is unfair, and that in the Combinado del Este prison, where … Continue reading “The Mother of Luis Robles, the ‘Young Man With the Placard,’ Denounces the Mistreatment of Her Son in Prison”

Luis Robles, the ‘Young Man with the Placard’, is Sentenced to Five Years in a Cuban Jail

14ymedio, Havana, 30 March 2022–Activist Luis Robles, the “Young Man with the Placard”, was sentenced to five years in jail for peacefully protesting in the centrally-located Boulevard on San Rafael Street in Havana holding a sign demanding an end to the repression and freedom for Cuban rapper Denis Solís. According to the judicial sentencing document, … Continue reading “Luis Robles, the ‘Young Man with the Placard’, is Sentenced to Five Years in a Cuban Jail”

Luis Robles, the ‘Young Man With the Placard’

14ymedio, Havana, 25 December 2021 — Luis Robles Elizastigui turned 29 on December 2 at Combinado del Este, a maximum security prison, two days before the first anniversary of his arrest. His crime: holding up a placard on the central Boulevard of San Rafael in Havana that read: “Freedom, no more repression, #FreeDenis” (referring to … Continue reading “Luis Robles, the ‘Young Man With the Placard’”

From the Combinado del Este, Luis Robles Confirms That He is Still Imprisoned in Cuba

14ymedio, Havana, 3 December 2021 — Luis Robles Elizastigui has again denounced that he is a victim of psychological and physical torture in prison. Activist Ángel Moya issued a call on Thursday for the “young man with the banner,” in which he asserts that Robles is still in the Combinado del Este, the maximum security prison … Continue reading “From the Combinado del Este, Luis Robles Confirms That He is Still Imprisoned in Cuba”

The UN Determines the Cases of Denis Solis and Luis Robles are Arbitrary Detentions

14ymedio, Havana, October 20, 2021 — The United Nations issued a statement which concluded that rapper Denis Solís as well as Luis Robles Elizastigui, the so-called “young man with the placard”,were detained arbitrarily. The text, dated October 14th, was published Wednesday by Cuban Prisoners Defenders (CPD), the organization which denounced both cases before the Arbitrary … Continue reading “The UN Determines the Cases of Denis Solis and Luis Robles are Arbitrary Detentions”

Trial Date Set for Luis Robles, the ‘Guy with the Placard’

14ymedio, Havana, July 9, 2021 — The trial of Luis Robles Elizastigui, an activist arrested on December 4, 2020 for staging a protest on Havana Boulevard, will be on July 16 in the Municipal Court of October 10. This was confirmed by his brother, Landy Fernández Elizastigui, in a statement given to Radio and Television … Continue reading “Trial Date Set for Luis Robles, the ‘Guy with the Placard’”

Luis Robles, the Young Man Who Peacefully Protested With a Poster In Havana Vieja Who is Under Arrest / Cubalex

Cubalex, 16 December 2020  — On December 5th, Luis Robles Eliazastegui demonstrated in Blvd. San Rafael in central Havana. Various people videoed his protest and also the moment in which police officers arrested him without any opposition or resistance on his part. According to information we have received he has been held at the State … Continue reading “Luis Robles, the Young Man Who Peacefully Protested With a Poster In Havana Vieja Who is Under Arrest / Cubalex”

No News of Political Prisoners Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Maykel Castillo, Sissi Abascal or Sayli Navarro

The PEN Club of Cuban Writers in Exile calls for the “immediate release” of the poet María Cristina Garrido, imprisoned in El Guatao 14ymedio, Madrid, 6 February 2025 — The Pen Club of Cuban Writers in Exile, a subsidiary of the international organization that works for freedom of expression and protects persecuted authors, has demanded … Continue reading “No News of Political Prisoners Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Maykel Castillo, Sissi Abascal or Sayli Navarro”

“The Treatment You Receive in Prison Is Dictated by State Security”

Luis Robles, “the young man with the placard,” recounts the mistreatment he suffered in prison and the persecution against his family, even after serving his five-year sentence. Before becoming a political prisoner, Luis Robles was “just another young Cuban struggling to get ahead.” In December 2020, his life changed when he decided to stand on … Continue reading ““The Treatment You Receive in Prison Is Dictated by State Security””

Bacteria and Viruses Thriving in Cuban Prisons

Prisoners Defenders records a total of 1,179 political prisoners on the island in October 14ymedio, Madrid, 6 November 2025 — Prisons have not been spared from the health emergency caused by several arboviruses spreading throughout the country. Absolutely not. According to the latest report by Prisoners Defenders (PD), published on Thursday, the epidemics, together with … Continue reading “Bacteria and Viruses Thriving in Cuban Prisons”

The Cuban Regime Survives Thanks to Our Paranoia

It is paradoxical that activists who proclaim “freedom for political prisoners” quickly join defamatory campaigns. 14ymedio, Yunior García Aguilera, Madrid, 18 October 2025 —  In recent days, two Cuban political prisoners recently returned to exile—José Daniel Ferrer, leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba, and Luis Robles, sentenced to five years in prison for holding … Continue reading “The Cuban Regime Survives Thanks to Our Paranoia”