Cuban court gives 10-year sentence to July 11 protester

A protester charged with crimes such as contempt and public disorder was sentenced to 10 years in prison, the longest sentence ever imposed on a detainee related to the July 11 protests in Cuba, according to a human rights organization and his relatives.

The Municipal People’s Court of San José de las Lajas, a town 35 km from Havana, imposed on Roberto Pérez Fonseca, 38, the “joint and only sanction to serve 10 years” in prison for crimes of contempt, attack, public disorder and instigation to commit a crime, indicates the sentence dated October 6 and to which the AFP had access, after his family was notified this week.

Three court judges determined Pérez Fonseca’s guilt based on statements by local police officer Jorge Luis García Montero, the only testimony recognized by the magistrates. Two defense witnesses were dismissed as “partial” and because they were a relative and a friend.

The uniformed man said that on July 11, Pérez Fonseca “incited the rest of the people to form groups, to throw stones and bottles”, even towards a local grocery store in dollars.

Pérez threw a stone that fell on the officer’s wrist, “causing abrasions that did not require medical assistance,” and he threw another stone that hit a patrol “that did not show damage,” in addition to ignoring the confinement order for covid-19. indicates the document.

The sentenced protester, father of two children, was apprehended on July 16 by this same policeman at his mother’s house.

The sentence “is excessive and violates all guarantees of due process,” Laritza Diversent, director of the human rights NGO Cubalex, told AFP, indicating that it is the longest sentence applied for these demonstrations.

“It responds to a criminal policy” with “severe penalties as an exemplary effect so that the rest of society is inhibited” to “instill fear and fear.”

The Cuban government insists that the protests are part of a strategy to change the regime, supported by Washington.

The convicted man’s mother, Liset Fonseca, believes that the real reasons for the long sentence are that her son tore a photograph of the late leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro, and that he verbally confronted García Montero when he was detaining another young man.

“Breaking the picture, that cannot be forgiven. They had to do something that was a great lesson, “says the woman, anticipating that they will appeal the sentence.

In addition, “my son faces that ‘Rompe Huesos'”, nickname by which he says this officer is known in San José de las Lajas, a city in the central province of Mayabeque.

The demonstrations on July 11 and 12 in 50 cities shouting “Freedom” and “We are hungry,” left one dead, dozens injured and 1,130 detainees, according to Miami-based Cubalex. More than 560 remain in prison.

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