Cuban dissident Yoani Sanchez has lamented the increasing repression of the opposition in the island nation. Since last year’s mass protests, the government has taken “repressive rage” against those who think differently, the journalist said yesterday at the International Book Fair in Guadalajara, Mexico. There are over a thousand political prisoners in Cuba.
The founders of the website “14ymedio” warned of the consequences of the criminal law reform, which came into force on Thursday. “The main victims” of the tightening of the law are independent journalism and “the free flow of news,” said Sánchez.
“criminalized” protest
The new Penal Code classifies as crimes a whole series of activities that the State considers subversive or harmful to society. According to human rights organizations, this is aimed at suppressing dissenting opinions. Protesting the government should be “criminalized” under offenses such as indecent exposure, Sanchez said.
In July 2021, thousands of people protested in dozens of Cuban cities. They were reacting to Cuba’s worst economic crisis in nearly 30 years. The protests were violently repressed at the time.