Cuba: Journalists and activists face prison sentences

Authorities in Cuba are pursuing legal actions against several individuals for their online expressions and journalistic activities.

Henry Constantín, director of La Hora de Cuba, has been imprisoned in the Kilo 7 prison in Camagüey for nearly two months. His partner, Alejandra García, alleges that State Security is attempting to force him into exile through psychological pressure and manufactured evidence. García claims that a knife was planted in Constantín’s cell to aggravate his legal situation, an act she alleges was carried out by another prisoner, Nelson Vento Santiesteban, in exchange for a sentence reduction offered by a State Security agent.

Separately, prosecutors in Las Tunas are seeking a seven-year prison sentence for Yusniel Leyva González. Leyva González, who has been detained since October 2025, faces charges of contempt, public disorder, and defamation of institutions following posts made on Facebook. He is currently held in the El Típico provincial prison.