July 11, 2022
Cited article by Human Rights Watch
HRRC calls on the Cuban government to address the clear human rights violations made against protestors in 2021. Additionally, laws being passed to further limit public free speech must be changed and adhere to international human rights law.
Article Summary
A recent report states that the Cuban government responded harshly to protests in 2021 with the intent to punish protestors in order to deter future demonstrations. The Human Rights Watch report cites instances of arbitrary detentions, abuse-ridden prosecutions, and torture. The governmental repression of protestors demonstrates a lack of understanding for the reasons that drove civilians to protest the governments actions in the first place.
The protests took place on July 11, 2021 and mark the largest nationwide protest in Cuba since the 1959 Cuban revolution. The 2021 peaceful protests were in response to ongoing restrictions on civilian rights, food and medicine availability, and the government's response to Covid-19. Many protestors were arrested, and the Cuban courts confirmed convictions against over 380 protestors, some of which were children. This year, laws have passed which further discourage protests, with threats of the death penalty for a variety of crimes including "sedition," which was a charge brought against many of the protestors in 2021.