After the July 11 protest, Cuban authorities continue to Harass activists
“If you have nothing to hide, come join us, let’s talk”. With the arrogance that characterizes the political police in Cuba, several agents showed up at Sadiel González’s house to take him away this Monday.
He’s not the only one. Since July 11th, social networks have been flooded with posts denouncing the arbitrary arrest of dozens of Cubans who filmed or participated in the protests.
This Sunday afternoon, González had broadcast live images of young people on the streets of Old Havana with the text: “Barrio de Jesús María, youth poured into the streets. Patria y Vida [Homeland and life As of this Tuesday, he still has not been released, so his relatives and friends fear being detained.
The “visit” of State Security to his home occurred after nine o’clock at night. At that time, Havana initiates a curfew prohibiting citizens from going out into the street or moving from a place to another.
On his Facebook profile, Gonzalez was able to denounce, through a live broadcast, the moment when the agents arrived, arrested him and took him to the police station without presenting a warrant. When the young man, a resident of the municipality of 10 de Octubre, complained to the authorities that he must be summoned at least 24 hours in advance, the agent replied, “you’re leaving with me now.”
“Sadie, you are making it difficult for me (…). If you have nothing to hide, please join us (…) we are going to talk to the police”, said the officer, who identified himself as “the head of State Security in the municipality”.
In the video, the activist’s mother is heard saying that they are taking him “to the sixth station” while the man specifies: “It’s an interview, mother, don’t worry.” When González finally comes out to the police patrol in handcuffs, with the officers, the State Security agent explains to his mother:
“Your son is committing counterrevolutionary acts; about a month or two ago, he was involved in a counterrevolutionary provocation in Havana (the Obispo protest of April 30), and we have been following him since that date. Today your son did a direct one, inciting the people to carry out violent acts and hold demonstrations. He is inciting the population to take to the streets”.
He also told her that, after July 11th, everything that her son has been doing “is wrong… He is telling lies, saying that it was a demonstration when all it was were young people playing in the street, he is manipulating information, and that is a crime”, referring to a live broadcast carried out on Monday afternoon from the Jesús María neighbourhood in Old Havana.
“I arrived with a lot of respect, but I almost had to threaten him to open the door for me, I told him ‘, either you open the door or I’m looking for an order to knock it down, (which I can do, too). If I come with an order and I knock down the door, how would you feel? With what money will you fix that? the officer added and concluded: “We cannot allow what your son is doing.”
The seven demonstrators who protested on Obispo street are still detained and awaiting trial this week. And have been deprived of liberty for three months as of this week. All were arrested on April 30th at the demonstration on Obispo Street when they tried to get to the house of artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara, who was on his sixth day of a hunger and thirst strike so that the siege to which State Security has subjected him would cease. During this protest, the participants shouted “Homeland and Life” and “Down with communism”.
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