Prisoners Defenders Reports More Than 11,000 Cubans are in Prison for ‘Pre-criminal’ Convictions

14ymedio, Madrid, 12 January 2023 — More than 11,000 people in Cuba have “pre-criminal” convictions, that is, punishment without having committed any crime, nor even attempted one. It is one of the data points that stands out from the latest report by the organization Prisoners Defenders (PD), made public this Thursday and which, once again, … Continue reading “Prisoners Defenders Reports More Than 11,000 Cubans are in Prison for ‘Pre-criminal’ Convictions”

The First Decrees of the New Cuba

14ymedio, Ariel Hidalgo, Miami, 9 November 2022 — With the increasingly profound crisis of popular representation in the Cuban dictatorship and a government about to collapse, there will come a time when a power vacuum requires the constitution of a Civic Board composed of people who have earned the respect of the population in their … Continue reading “The First Decrees of the New Cuba”

The Cuban Prosecutor’s Office Threatens ‘Criminal Charges’ for Current Protests

14ymedio, Havana, 15 October 2022 — On Friday, the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic of Cuba issued a harsh warning against those who participated in the recent protests over the long blackouts after the passage of Hurricane Ian. In his statement, he said he was investigating the facts that “disturbed public order and citizen … Continue reading “The Cuban Prosecutor’s Office Threatens ‘Criminal Charges’ for Current Protests”

Two Men from Manzanillo Get Married, Applying the New Family Code

14ymedio, Havana, 6 October 2022 — On Tuesday, seven days after the entry into force of the Family Code, what may be the first wedding between two people of the same sex in Cuba was celebrated. Alberto and José, two young people from Manzanillo, Granma, got married on Tuesday after 18 years of civil union. … Continue reading “Two Men from Manzanillo Get Married, Applying the New Family Code”

‘D Frente’: A New Effort to Find Solutions in Cuba

14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 9 September 2022 — The document announcing the constitution of an entity called D Frente [D Front] is part of the civilized tradition of using words to call for action, as opposed to the revolutionary practice of executing actions that are then justified with words. The text complies with three indispensable rules: … Continue reading “‘D Frente’: A New Effort to Find Solutions in Cuba”

Cuba’s New Laws, a Strategy for the Debacle / Dimas Castellano

Dimas Castellanos, 1 July 2021 —  To improve the image of Cuban laws — outdated with respect to the international legal system — the Supreme People’s Court (TSP) submitted four preliminary drafts to the National Assembly of People’s Power for approval: Law on the Courts of Justice, Code of Proceedings, Law on Administrative Procedure and … Continue reading “Cuba’s New Laws, a Strategy for the Debacle / Dimas Castellano”

Cuban Parliament Approves the Final Version of the New Family Code

EFE (via 14ymedio), Havana, July 22, 2022 — The National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP, unicameral parliament) of Cuba unanimously approved this Friday the definitive version of the so-called Family Code, which will be submitted to a popular referendum on September 25. The deputies supported version 25 of this legislative package to regulate interpersonal relationships, which … Continue reading “Cuban Parliament Approves the Final Version of the New Family Code”

Police Threaten Young People in Sancti Spíritus to Prevent a New 11J (July 11th Protests) in Cuba

14ymedio, Havana, June 17, 2022 — Alexander Fábregas Milanés has not had peace since he was released last April, after serving nine months in prison for convening a demonstration on July 11, 2021, through social networks. The young man from Sancti Spíritus, 32, is being harassed by State Security and, on Tuesday, was threatened in … Continue reading “Police Threaten Young People in Sancti Spíritus to Prevent a New 11J (July 11th Protests) in Cuba”

Press Association Compares Cuban Penal Code to ‘Absolutist Privileges, Typical of Monarchies’

14ymedio, Havana, 18 May 2022 — The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) has been forceful in criticizing the Cuban Penal Code  approved last Sunday in an extraordinary session, and has insisted that it returns the Island to “dark ages, when officials distanced themselves from the people through abuses and privileges.” In a statement made public this Wednesday, … Continue reading “Press Association Compares Cuban Penal Code to ‘Absolutist Privileges, Typical of Monarchies’”

Cuba: A Penal Code to Bind Us All

14ymedio, Yoani Sánchez, Generation Y, Havana, 17 May 2022 — The new Cuban Penal Code, recently approved by the National Assembly and which will enter into force in the coming days, is a detailed compendium of the main fears of the ruling party. Like any authoritarian model, the island’s regime is forced to break down each prohibition … Continue reading “Cuba: A Penal Code to Bind Us All”

Cuban Parliament Approves a Criminal Code which Prohibits External Support for Independent Press

EFE (via 14ymedio), Havana, 15 May 2022 — On Sunday, Cuba’s National Assembly of the People’s Power (ANPP) approved, in an extraordinary session, Cuba’s new Criminal Code, which includes penalties of up to three years for those who insult senior public officials and prohibits foreign financing for media outlets. The delegates approved the project in … Continue reading “Cuban Parliament Approves a Criminal Code which Prohibits External Support for Independent Press”

Criminal Code Project Will Provide Tools for the Cuban Regime to Legalize Arbitrariness

14ymedio, Madrid, 23 March 2022 — If, as predicted, the draft of Cuba’s new Criminal Code is approved as is, independent activists and journalists will be “extremely exposed” to the arbitrariness of State Security. That point is stressed in a report published by the Observatorio Legislativo de Cuba [Cuba’s Legislative Observatory], an initiative of the Demo Amlat … Continue reading “Criminal Code Project Will Provide Tools for the Cuban Regime to Legalize Arbitrariness”

Instigating a Crime in the Draft Cuban Criminal Code / Cubalex

Cubalex, Laritza Diversent, 11 March 2022 — Instigating a crime is a crime against public order which appears in Article 202 of the Island’s current Criminal Code. However, this would undergo notable changes, according to the draft of the new Criminal Code, which will go into effect in April 2022, after approval by the delegates … Continue reading “Instigating a Crime in the Draft Cuban Criminal Code / Cubalex”

Anamely Ramos and the Family Code

14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 18 February 2022 — Perhaps one of the most notable absences from the released versions of the new Family Code is what refers to the unity of its members. The right to live together, the right not to be arbitrarily separated. The State should provide its citizens with access to material resources and legal … Continue reading “Anamely Ramos and the Family Code”

‘Pre-criminal Dangerousness’ is Removed from the Cuban Penal Code, but ‘Regulation’ — Being Forbidden to Leave the Country — is Legalized

14ymedio, Havana, 20 October 2021 —  The Cuban Government will eliminate “pre-criminal dangerousness,” a legal definition that it has been used for years to imprison opponents. The elimination of this ’crime’ has been demanded by international organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Rubén Remigio Ferro, president of the People’s Supreme Court, said on Tuesday on … Continue reading “‘Pre-criminal Dangerousness’ is Removed from the Cuban Penal Code, but ‘Regulation’ — Being Forbidden to Leave the Country — is Legalized”