Mother of a Young Cuban Accused of Sedition Arrested on Charges of Contempt

A leukemia patient, Castro had to spend “a week in hospital in January and it was quite serious because she fainted as a result of toxoplasmosis.” (Facebook)

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, Luz Escobar, Havana, 2 March 2022 — Yudinela Castro Pérez, mother of young Rowland Jesús Castillo Castro, who faces a 12-year prison sentence for demonstrating on July 11, has been transferred to the 100 y Aldabó prison. As reported on his social networks by the activist Arián Cruz, Tata Poet, Castro “has been charged with contempt” after six days of investigation.

Last Thursday, the woman had initially been taken to Villa Marista, the State Security headquarters in Havana where, Cruz denounces, that they returned to Castro “to psychologically torture her under forced interrogations.”

Days before, on February 17, José David Hernández and Misleydis Rodríguez, her friends and activists from the Opposition Movement for a New Republic were also arrested after a State Security search of their home.

A leukemia patient, Castro had to spend “a week in hospital in January and it was quite serious because she fainted as a result of toxoplasmosis,” the activist had noted in another post, in which he also specified that every day she must take “a series of medications that they did not let him give to her” when he went to inquire about her the first time.

“I would like to point out that this sick mother was arbitrarily arrested at her home, that she did not show any resistance, and that despite knowing that her arrest was unjust and illegal, she decided to cooperate and go with them to what was supposed to be ’a interview’, that’s how State Security loves to call these repressive, repulsive, and criminal interrogations,” Cruz said.

Last Friday, a habeas corpus petition was delivered in favor of Castro to the People’s Provincial Court of Havana. As Cruz detailed this Wednesday to 14ymedio, they have not yet received a response from the court, but they have already hired a lawyer for Yudinela Castro.

Since her 18-year-old son was taken to jail, Castro has denounced each of the injustices that have been committed against the young man and has not stopped demanding his freedom. She has also denounced “the lies” the regime told in the trial that was held against her son Rowland, accused of sedition and with an initial prosecutor’s request of 23 years, later reduced to 12.

On several occasions, Castro has been arbitrarily detained by State Security officials for interrogation, but she has always reiterated that “whatever it takes” nothing will stop her in her fight to achieve her son’s freedom.

____________

COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.