Authorities miserably fail on their promise to release graffiti artist unfairly held – Amnesty Internationa

Cuba: Authorities miserably fail on their promise to release graffiti
artist unfairly held
16 October 2015, 09:33 UTC

The Cuban authorities’ failure to keep to their commitment to release a
graffiti artist unfairly imprisoned nearly a year ago is a painful
illustration of their disregard for freedom of expression, said Amnesty
International.

“Committing to release Danilo Maldonado Machado on 15 October only to
keep him behind bars for no reason other than speaking his mind and
criticising the government is not only cruel but sends a strong message
that freedom of expression is not on the Cuban government’s radar,” said
Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

“Danilo is a prisoner of conscience, deprived of his liberty as
punishment for peacefully expressing his opinions. He must be released
immediately and unconditionally and not be made to spend another second
behind bars.”

Yesterday, prison authorities told Danilo’s mother that he had served
his time but that they did not know when he would be set free. Danilo,
however, has never been brought before a judge or sentenced.

“Danilo’s story has all the elements of a science fiction novel: fist he
was put behind bars under the most ludicrous excuse and then kept there
arbitrarily without even being charged. The fact that Cuban authorities
continue to play with Danilo and his family is just shocking,” said
Erika Guevara-Rosas.

Danilo Maldonado Machado, known as ‘El Sexto’, was arrested by agents of
the political police (Seguridad del Estado) in Havana while travelling
in a taxi on 25 December 2014. Officers opened the taxi’s boot and found
the two pigs with “Raúl” and “Fidel” painted on their backs. He was
accused of “disrespecting the leaders of the Revolution” but never
brought to court. Danilo intended to release the pigs at an art show on
Christmas Day.

Source: Cuba: Authorities miserably fail on their promise to release
graffiti artist unfairly held | Amnesty International –
www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/10/cuba-authorities-miserably-fail-on-their-promise-to-release-graffiti-artist-unfairly-held/