Cuba human rights groups report detentions of protesters and political prisoners

Human rights organizations are raising alarms regarding the detention of several individuals in Cuba following protests driven by chronic utility shortages. In the Camagüey province, five people were apprehended by State Security after a “cacerolazo” protest in the Oriente Rebelde community, which was sparked by persistent power outages and a lack of potable water.

Among the detainees is Yordenkis Fonseca, a minor suffering from epilepsy. According to the legal rights organization Cubalex, Fonseca has experienced multiple seizures requiring hospitalization since his detention. Families report they have been denied legal information regarding the specific charges against the group.

In a separate but related context of political imprisonment, activist Sissi Abascal Zamora has used her platform in exile to advocate for Sayli Navarro Álvarez. Abascal, a former inmate at the La Bellotex women’s prison, highlighted that Navarro remains incarcerated in the same facility. Navarro, who was arrested following the July 11 protests, was sentenced to eight years for assault and public disorder and has been designated a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.