Hundreds of demonstrators detained for taking part in island-wide July 2021 protests in Cuba have been “subject to serious abuses" in prison, Human Rights Watch reported Friday.
The global advocacy group also said hundreds of protesters remain behind bars, even though the Cuban government agreed in January to release many following negotiations led by the Vatican.
In its report, Human Rights Watch investigators said former detainees told them that they were “beaten and held in solitary confinement as punishment” and recounted “unhealthy” prison conditions, including “woefully inadequate food and water.”
The 17 former detainees interviewed told investigators that — despite being freed — they “remain under constant surveillance and strict conditions” and that many live in fear of being returned to prison.
Friday marked four years since thousands of people filled Cuba’s streets and public squares in what was seen as the country’s largest outpouring of protest in decades.
The protesters at the time were venting their frustrations over shortages, long lines and a lack of political options. Some were drawn to the marches by calls on social media, while others joined in spontaneously when marchers passed by. Hundreds of people were arrested during the unrest on July 11-12, 2021. Some were sentenced to up to 25 years in prison.
Cuba announced earlier this year that it was releasing 553 prisoners, including political prisoners, “in the spirit of” Pope Francis’ 2025 Holy Year. Pope Francis died in April.
Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, said hundreds of detainees remain in prison under “dismal conditions” after the Cuban government “unleashed repression on thousands of Cubans who peacefully took to the streets demanding rights and freedoms.”
Human Rights Watch investigators said they interviewed 17 former detainees by phone. Several said they had been moved to prison camps or lower security facilities during their detention. Their names are not being disclosed by Human Rights Watch out of fear the Cuban government would retaliate against them.
In its report, Human Rights Watch noted a 2024 survey of more than 1,100 people by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights that found that 7 in 10 Cubans skip a meal every day, and that 61% percent struggle to afford basic necessities. Daily power outages range from 4 to 20 hours, the report said.
