CASE UPDATE: Free Yorubas of Cuba Issue Statement Following Publication of Findings by Santa Clara Prosecutor’s Office, Sentences of 8-10 Years Each for Participants of 11J Protests

On October 1, acting leadership of the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba made a statement responding to the Provincial Prosecutor of Villa Clara’s findings and sentencing for four members of the Free Yorubas and other political activists who joined the mass July 11 protests in Placetas and throughout Cuba.

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We, the Members of the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba, in the municipality of Villa Clara, Placetas, denounce the unjust imprisonment of Loreto Hernández García, Donaida Pérez Paseiros, vice president and president respectively of the Association, are victims, along with sisters Lisdiani Rodríguez Isaac and Lisdani Rodríguez Isaac, members of the same Association, being imprisoned for passively demonstrating in the massive protest of July 11 in the Placetas municipality of Villa Clara."
 
“The Yoruba leader Loreto Hernández García is incarcerated in La Pendiente prison in the city of Santa Clara, with a prosecutor's request for 8 years of deprivation of liberty, suffering from high blood pressure, chronic diabetes, asthma and delicate cardiovascular diseases, which suffered a pre-heart attack, days before being transferred to La Pendiente prison."
 
"Priestess Donaida Pérez Paseiro is incarcerated in the Guamajal prison for women in the city of Santa Clara, with a prosecutor's request for 8 years of deprivation of liberty, having serious conditions of arterial hypertension. As are the sisters Lisdiani Rodríguez Isaac and Lisdani Rodríguez Isaac who his prosecutor's request is for 10 years of deprivation of liberty, waiting to be tried from the Guamajal prison itself."
 
"We call on all the press, media, and human rights organizations to denounce the danger faced by the religious leader Loreto Hernández García as well as his wife and priestess leader Donaida Pérez Paseiro for her chronic health ailments, in Castro’s dungeons."
 
"We fear for their physical integrity and for their lives."

"We demand immediate and unconditional release for our members of the Asociación Yorubas Libres de Cuba."

Late last week, the Global Liberty Alliance received the full sentencing document issued by the Municipal People’s Court of Santa Clara on September 22, 2021.
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Those accused, all given sentences of eight to ten years for protesting, include Free Yorubas President Donaida Pérez Paseiro, Vice President Loreto Hernández García, sisters Lisdiani and Lisdani Rodríguez Isaac, opposition group affiliates Arianna López Roque, Mitzael Díaz Paseiro, Nidia Bienes Paseiros, and Ciro Alexis Casanova Pérez.

READ ALSO: “Free Yorubas, Cuban Dissidents Face 8-10 Years in Prison For Participation in 11J Demonstrations In Placetas,” (October 1, 2021).

​In the sentencing documents, the prosecutor’s office revealed its propensity to characterize those who voice discontent with government policy as social deviants, describing both Loreto and Donaida as aggressive in nature, and having poor relations with neighbors. Though they note sisters Lisdani and Lisdiani have no previous criminal records, the prosecutor’s office did make a point of alleging they both meet with or are linked to other persons who exhibit poor conduct. Throughout the entire document, it seems the prosecutor’s office intentionally added phrases and superfluous information to malign the accused, or those that participated in demonstrations on July 11, even noting that unidentified individuals present in the protests were carrying alcohol and knives.
 
Loreto Hernández García, who is being held in La Pendiente prison, was charged with one count of Public Disorder and two counts of disobedience/contempt. As a joint penalty, he will face eight years in prison, confiscation of personal finances, and additional travel restrictions.
 
Donaida Pérez Paseiro, currently held in Guamajal prison, was charged with one count of public disorder, two counts of disobedience/contempt, and one count of assault/attack. As a joint penalty she will face eight years in prison with additional restrictions on travel.
 
Lisdiani and Lisdani Rodríguez Isaac, also held in Guamajal prison, were charged with one count public disorder, two counts of disobedience, and two counts of assault/attack for a total of 10 years in prison with additional travel restrictions.
 
Others included in the indictment, all similarly charged, will be brought to court to face the charges against them by the Prosecutor’s office.

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GLA ADVOCACY & NEWS:

• Case Update – “Free Yorubas, Cuban Dissidents Face 8-10 Years in Prison For Participation in 11J Demonstrations In Placetas,” (October 1, 2021).
  
• News Alert - "GLA Seeks Precautionary Measures From the OAS For Members of the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba,"(Sep. 20, 2021).
• Press Release - "Statement On Leadership Of The Free Yorubas Of Cuba, Prisoners Of Conscience,"(Sep. 7, 2021).
• News Alert - "Free Yorubas Demand Immediate Release Of President, Vice President, Other Members Detained By Cuba's Political Police," (Aug. 12, 2021).
• Case Update - "Free Yorubas Unlawfully Detained, Imprisoned Following Peaceful Protests,"(Aug. 5, 2021).
• Press Release - "Free Yorubas Unlawfully Detained, Imprisoned Following Peaceful Protests," (Jul. 20, 2021).

​Visit GLA’s News & Media page for updates on the Free Yorubas of Cuba. More information on the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba can be found on our website here.