In the wake of the July 11 street protests that rocked Cuba’s Communist regime, the Havana government has moved to reassert control by arresting hundreds of their own citizens, more than three dozen of whom are suspected of having been “forced disappearances”
Beginning the week after the demonstrations, Cubans who had been swept up by the authorities were judged in summary trials in groups of 10 or 12 at a time, independent journalist Cynthia de la Cantera told The Post. She explained that Cuban law allows for such swift disposition of cases involving purportedly minor crimes, where the punishment is less than one year in prison.
“They are making what we call ‘exemplary’ trials, with many people who are being prosecuted without evidence,” she said.
“Many defendants don’t have lawyers, they [the authorities] don’t allow their relatives in court or their relatives are not notified,” Cantera added. “In some cases, the relatives were told the trial would be held at a certain place and when they arrived, it turned out the trial was being held elsewhere, they arrived late and therefore couldn’t enter. In short, there are many irregularities in this process.”
[Interesting Read]
See Also:
(1) Miami nonprofit’s team of volunteer lawyers advocates for SOS Cuba detainees, prisoners
(2) How Canadian tourism sustains Cuba’s army and one-party state
(3) Cuba’s Protests Put Diaz-Canel—and Biden—in a Bind
(4) What Is Happening in Cuba?
(5) Cuba: Before and After July 11
I called an old Cuban friend yesterday (we keep in touch) to see how he was making out. Covid restrictions are very draconian down there including very strictly enforced curfews. Frankly it’s amazing that people are even surviving. Even before Covid living conditions were dire to say the least. $100.00 Canadian is a small fortune there. My pal told me that he has just gotten his first Covid jab and is supposed to get the 2nd and yes a 3rd one…. all before October. He said it is Cuba’s own developed vaccine (my guess is that is pure government propaganda). But he’s a ‘believer’ or has to pretend to be. The only way he would describe the current situation when I asked him “how’re things going” was that “it’s very complicated”. It went unsaid but we both know we were likely talking on a party line.