USA and Amnesty International reject sentence against artists

Who judges if the Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero dishonored his flag?

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(CNN Spanish) --

Brian A. Nichols, Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs of the United States Department of State, denounced this Friday the sentences that would be imposed on two Cuban artists arrested during the protests in July last year.

On his Twitter account, the official called on the Government of Cuba "to release them and put an end to this unjust persecution," referring to the 7 to 10 years in prison that the Prosecutor's Office has suggested as a sentence for singer-songwriter Maykel. Castillo, known as Maykel Osorbo, and for Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara.

Osorbo is co-author of the song “Patria y vida”, which became the anthem of those who participated in the July 2021 protests in Cuba.

Another reaction comes from the director for the Americas of Amnesty International, Erika Guevara-Rosas, who on her Twitter account criticized the request for the sentences of 7 years for Otero Alcántara and 10 for Maykel Osorbo, whom she called "prisoners of conscience." ”.

Guevara-Rosas also shared, on the same social network, documents from the People's Municipal Court of Central Cuba detailing the charges against each of the defendants.

Several human rights organizations have expressed their rejection of the arrests that were made during the protests carried out on the island on July 11, 2021, when thousands of Cubans left their homes and protested for lack of medicine and food, in the face of an aggravated situation. due to the pandemic and US sanctions.

Last month, more than a hundred people who participated in those same protests were sentenced from 4 to 30 years in prison "accused of committing and provoking serious disturbances and acts of vandalism with the purpose of destabilizing public order, collective security and civic tranquility.