In the Cuban capital Havana, dozens of musicians, artists, journalists and intellectuals demonstrated at the Ministry of Culture on Friday. According to Reuters news agency, more than 150 people were mobilized in this rare protest against the regime. The demonstrators drew attention to the situation of fourteen journalists and artists who had been arrested the day before.
Among the arrested protesters, five had gone on a hunger strike to release Cuban rapper Denis Solís. He was arrested at the beginning of this month after a confrontation with the police. According to Solís, the police had entered his home without a warrant. The rapper has been sentenced to eight months in prison.
Since then, fellow artists have been drawing attention to his situation and to freedom of expression. They are united in the so-called San Isidro movement. This movement has been around for some time and is known as a critic of Cuba’s communist government.
‘Social media flat’
Thursday night fourteen San Isidro members were arrested. They had gathered in a house in the old part of Havana. According to the authorities, this was in violation of the corona rules and therefore the meeting had to be broken up.
Some Cubans tell Reuters that social media platforms in the country, where the state has a monopoly on telecommunications, were inaccessible for a short time after the arrests. According to them, this was done to prevent news of the raid from being shared.
Latin America journalist Edwin Koopman calls the protests in Havana “very exceptional”. In the NOS radio program With a view to tomorrow he said that in the communist country there are often demonstrations by loners, “but not by dozens of artists, journalists and musicians together”.
Human Rights
Dutch human rights ambassador Bahia Tahzib-Lie says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is concerned about human rights in Cuba. The ministry calls on the Cuban government to respect freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate.
Arbitrary arrests should also be avoided, said Tahzib-Lie on Twitter:
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