English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
14ymedio, Elias Amor Bravo, Economist, 9 July 2022 — We are approaching the first anniversary of July 11, the day when the Cuban people peacefully and courageously expressed that they were in a position to demand a political change for democracy, freedom and human rights in Cuba. And while the regime recreates itself in propaganda … Continue reading “Cuba One Year Since July 11 (11J): The Blackouts Get Worse”
14ymedio, Madrid, June 10, 2022 — The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child urges the Cuban State to review the penalties imposed on minors “declared guilty of exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly in the context of the July 2021 protests.” This is one of the conclusions of the periodic … Continue reading “The UN Asks Cuba to ‘Punish Those Responsible for Child Abuse’ on July 11 (11J)’”
14ymedio, Madrid, 18 April 2022 — Prisoners Defenders (PD) stated that in Cuba, there are children even as young as 13 and 15 years old in jail for having participated in the peaceful demonstrations last July 11th (11J). The cases of these 13 minors, which have received less visibility, are included in the NGO’s report … Continue reading “Prisoners Defenders Submits to the UN a Report on Minors Prosecuted in Cuba for July 11 (11J)”
14ymedio, Havana, March 22, 2022–Yoan de la Cruz, who last July 11th livestreamed the first protests in San Antonio de los Baños, which then spread throughout the country, has been sentenced to six years in prison by a tribunal, according to statements made on Tuesday by his mother, Maribel Cruz, on her Facebook profile. “So … Continue reading “Six Years in Jail for Yoan de la Cruz for Streaming the July 11 Protests in Cuba”
14ymedio, Havana, 17 March 2022 — In contrast to the previous trials of July 11 protesters, in which the final sentences were lower than those sought by the prosecutors, the Diez de Octubre Tribunal in Havana, which tried 33 people on January 31, has been relentless. Thus, it has sentenced Brandon David Becerra Curbelo, 17 … Continue reading “Almost 2,000 Years of Jail Time for 128 of the July 11 (11J) Protesters in Cuba”
14ymedio, Luz Escobar, Havana, 7 January 2022 — The Cuban activist and businesswoman Saily González Velázquez, along with others such as Salomé García Bacallao, and family members of those detained on July 11th (11J), have started a social media campaign for the Spanish news agency, EFE, to cover the prisoners’ trials. “There is still time for … Continue reading “Family Members of Those Arrested on July 11 in Cuba Plea with EFE to Cover Their Trials”
14ymedio, Luz Escobar, Havana, December 30, 2021 — The artists charged with public disorder for protesting in front of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT) on July 11 learned on Thursday that the cases against them were being dropped. In essence, they were being acquitted. The situation remains unclear, however, for playwright Yunior García Aguilera … Continue reading “Charges Dropped Against Artists Over July 11 Protests in Front of the ICRT”
14ymedio, Havana, 17 November 2021 — Daniela Rojo, mother of two young children and moderator of the Archipiélago platform, architect of the initiative for the 15N (15 November), is missing for the fifth day. The young woman was already been detained for almost a month for participating in the protests on July 11. “The Istanbul Protocol (UN, 2004) strictly prohibits … Continue reading “More than 650 Detainees from the July 11 (11J) Protests in Cuba Are Still in Prison”
14ymedio, Luz Escobar, Havana, 8 November 2021 — For more than half an hour, the students of the José Luis Arruñada school, in Havana, waited standing in the courtyard for the activity to begin to mark the restart of the 2020-2021 school year. Already at the parents’ meeting, held last week, the teachers had informed everyone that … Continue reading “A Harangue Against July 11 (11J) to Start the School Year in Havana”
Dear Commission Members: My name is Laritza Diversent. I am the director of Cubalex. Working in collaboration with the group Justicia 11J [11 July], we have recorded the detentions of 1,130 people since July 11, 572 of whom remain incarcerated. Several people who have been released report incidents of torture and mistreatment including beatings, verbal … Continue reading “Laritza Diversent Petitions Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on Behalf of Cubans Detained on July 11 / Cubalex”
Cubalex, 24 September 2021 — In our work of informing and advising Cuban citizens, we share this interview with our lawyer Julio Ferrer about the role of judges in the proceedings against the July 11 demonstrators. What is the function of a judge in the proceedings that are under investigation, with respect to the guarantees … Continue reading “Role of the Judges in the Proceedings Against the July 11 Demonstrators / Cubalex”
14ymedio, Luz Escobar, Havana, 9 August 2021 — Of the dozen appeals filed last Friday to the sentences handed down against protesters from the July 11 protests, only four have been successful. The strong police operation that day around the People’s Provincial Court of Havana, near the Capitol, to prevent relatives and onlookers from approaching continues as of … Continue reading “Relatives of Those Arrested on July 11 Denounce the Lack of Justice in Cuba”
14ymedio, Luz Escobar, Havana, 4 August 2021 — “If you have nothing to hide, come join us, let’s talk”. With the arrogance that characterizes the political police in Cuba, several agents showed up at Sadiel González’s house to take him away this Monday. He’s not the only one. Since July 11th, social networks have been … Continue reading “Cuban State Security Continues to Harass Activists After the July 11 Protests”
Jeovany Jimenez Vega, 14 July 2021 — July 11, 2021 entered Cuban history through the front door when the dignified spark ignited in San Antonio de los Baños spread throughout the rest of the island: in a few hours more than fifty Cuban cities, from east to west, rose spontaneously in a massive outcry and millions of … Continue reading “July 11 in Cuba: The Hour of the Homeland / Jeovany Jimenez Vega”
14ymedio, Havana, 23 April 2024 — Three words in blue ink – Patria y Vida… Homeland and Life – written on the facade of her house were enough for Sandra Hernández to understand State Security’s speedy response even in small towns like hers. After the island-wide protests of 11 July 2021 (11J), there was not … Continue reading “Two Years of Harassment and Pressure for Writing ‘Patria y Vida’ on Her House for the 11 July 2021 Protests”
