Bogotá – Havana, July 11, 2025.– Four years after the protests of July 11, 2021 (11J), national and international organizations warn of a new peak of repression by the Cuban State against activists, independent journalists, human rights defenders and relatives of persons deprived of liberty for reasons of conscience. This situation demands urgent attention from the international community in view of the intensification of restrictions on fundamental freedoms and human rights.

We view with deep concern the persecution, threats and intimidation against journalist Camila Acosta, who through her social networks has denounced that she is being followed by state security agents to, according to her, impede her informative and investigative work in Havana. This situation is in addition to that of Henry Constantín, journalist and director of La Hora de Cuba, who was imprisoned for several days in Camagüey, accused of contempt for doing his job, and although he has been released, he must report regularly to the country’s authorities. It was also confirmed to Henry that he is still regulated and that he cannot leave the island.

The situation of the prisoners of conscience, several of them detained for participating in the July 2021 demonstrations, is of the utmost gravity: in recent days, opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer and rapper Maykel “Osorbo” Castillo had to resort to a hunger strike as a last resort in protest against the injustices that continue to be committed against them in prison. Ferrer, who was released from prison in January of this year and is now back in jail, is protesting the brutal beatings he has been subjected to in prison. For his part, Osorbo is protesting against the authorities’ attempts to transfer him to a prison even further away from his family, in violation of international standards of humane treatment. This measure has become recurrent, according to the relatives of those deprived of their liberty.

Donaida Pérez, opponent and president of the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba, was imprisoned after the 11J protests and sentenced to 8 years in prison for the alleged crimes of contempt of court, public disorder and attempt against an official. Although she was released from prison in January 2025, on June 11 the Provincial Court of Villa Clara revoked her parole, arguing an alleged failure to fulfill her obligations. She is currently being held in Guamajal prison, where she faces unsanitary conditions, ill-treatment and possible acts of torture.

After being released from prison at the beginning of the year, Felix Navarro, also a prisoner of conscience, was once again imprisoned and remains in precarious conditions, with the aggravating factor that he is an elderly person with chronic health conditions. His wife, Lady in White Sonia Alvarez, was informed on July 2 that he would be transferred to Havana for medical examinations, but so far, she has not been able to communicate with him. Navarro remains without a clear medical diagnosis, without access to adequate treatment and held in inhumane conditions, without the minimum guarantees to protect his health and physical integrity. The lack of adequate medical attention constitutes cruel and inhumane treatment.

We also express our deep concern over the Cuban regime’s attempts to prevent the participation of activists and human rights defenders in the 4th of July commemoration at the U.S. Embassy in Havana. Several of those summoned were prevented from attending by various methods of repression. Some were intercepted en route and forced to get out of vehicles to prevent their arrival at the event.

The aforementioned cases are added to the alarming figure that, according to the organization Justicia 11J, speaks of 361 people detained for participating in the 11J demonstrations and who are still deprived of their liberty. Most of them have been convicted in trials without minimum guarantees and under politically manipulated charges.

At this juncture, we urge the governments of the region, multilateral organizations and diplomatic missions to:

• Demand immediate and independent access to prisoners to verify their state of health and conditions of detention.
• Hold high-level public meetings focused on the human rights situation in Cuba, with the participation of victims, family members and independent civil society organizations.
• Continue to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all persons imprisoned for political reasons in Cuba.

Four years after 11J, repression has not ceased: it has transformed and expanded. Focusing attention on Cuba today is an imperative for the defense of human dignity and freedom.

Signed:

4Métrica

ARC – Artists at Risk Connection

ARTICLE 19 México y Centroamérica

Cadal

Civil Rights Defenders

ConEnfoque

Cuido60 – Observatorio de Envejecimiento, Cuidados y Derechos

Cubalex

Cubanet

De Mujer a Mujer y De Hombre a Hombre

Food Monitor Program

Instituto sobre raza, igualdad y derechos humanos – IRIDH

La Hora de Cuba

Mesa de Diálogo de la Juventud Cubana

Movimiento San Isidro

Museo de la Disidencia en Cuba

Museo V

Observatorio de Alas Tensas