On the fourth anniversary of the sentencing of Maykel Castillo Pérez “Osorbo” and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Amnesty International said:
“The conviction of rapper Maykel Castillo Pérez ‘Osorbo’ and visual artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara starkly exposed how the Cuban authorities use the criminal justice system to punish dissident artists and silence their right to freedom of expression. Their imprisonment also shows how repression can have a particular impact on Afro-Cuban people who publicly challenge those in power. Four years later, Maykel and Luis Manuel continue to suffer the consequences of an unjust sentence that should never have existed,” said Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.
On June 24, 2022, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel Castillo Pérez “Osorbo” were sentenced to five and nine years in prison, respectively, on charges including “contempt”, “public disorder”, “insulting national symbols”, “assault” and “defamation of institutions and organizations, heroes and martyrs”. Their convictions were linked to peaceful protests, social media posts and videos, artistic expression, and criticism of the Cuban government, all of which are protected under international human rights law. Amnesty International has designated both of them as prisoners of conscience and has called for their immediate and unconditional release.
“The release of Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara in July, upon completion of this unjust sentence, must be full and unconditional. There can be no real freedom under surveillance, arbitrary restrictions or threats of being returned to prison. The Cuban authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience, including Saylí Navarro Álvarez, Félix Navarro Rodríguez, Loreto Hernández García, Donaida Pérez Paseiro, Roberto Pérez Fonseca and Maykel Castillo Pérez ‘Osorbo’, as well as all those unjustly detained for political reasons in Cuba, including teenager Jonathan David Muir Burgos,” concluded Ana Piquer.
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