Cuban court prosecutes 17 other protesters on July 11

A court in the province of Matanzas, Cuba, began prosecuting 17 prisoners in an unprecedented demonstration on July 11 this Tuesday, and with a request for a sentence of up to 9 years, the human rights defense organization Justicia 11J reported.

The group reported on its Facebook page that “this morning the trial of 17 people from Cárdenas (the city) began with public disability, contempt and offensive crimes in Matanzas.”

Among the defendants is Lazara Karenia González, a 28-year-old woman, whose arrest has been recorded on a video that has been circulated on social media since July 11, showing how she is forced to be subordinated by the police.

On January 25, the Cuban government reported that 790 people, including 55 people under the age of 18, were charged for protests in July. And so far, another 172 people have been convicted.

With the shouts of “we are hungry” and “freedom”, thousands of people went out to the streets on July 11 and 12, 2021 in almost 50 cities on the island, and one person was killed and dozens were injured.

11J The Ministry of Justice has registered 1,442 prisoners so far, and 756 of them remain in jail.69 of the protesters who have been imprisoned are young people between the ages of 12 and 20.

According to the organization, 518 people have been put to trial, some have been accused of inciting crimes, have requested more than 25 years of sentences, and so far 199 have been sentenced.

LP/DGA