HAVANA: Cuban dissident Eduardo Cardet was sentenced on Monday to three years in prison for “aggression” against a state authority, according to his family, who denounced the trial as politically motivated.
The 47-year-old national coordinator of the Christian Liberation Movement was arrested on Nov. 30 in front of his Velasco home in the eastern province of Holguin. He was sentenced for “aggression” toward an official at the time of his arrest.
Amnesty International, which called for Cardet’s release in January, emphasized that he had been arrested after criticizing to foreign media revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who had died five days earlier.
At that time Amnesty had said “it is not clear on what grounds Eduardo Cardet was initially detained.”
On Monday a judge sentenced the doctor and father of two children to 36 months in prison. His family said Cardet will appeal within the allotted 10-day period.
According to his mother-in-law Marlenis Leiva, he was “imprisoned for his political opinions,” saying the legal process was a “parody.”
Authorities “told him his sentence in prison and allowed him to call the family to inform us,” Leiva told AFP. “We will see if they reduce his sentence or release him, which would be truly fair.”
Government and state media have not commented, as is usual in the case of Cuban dissidents.
Dissent is considered by Cuban authorities to be manipulated by foreign interests.
The Cuban Commission for Human Rights (CCHD) — officially banned but tolerated by authorities — in its latest June 2016 tally counted a total of 82 detainees held “for political reasons,” or prosecuted and condemned in politically motivated procedures.
The 47-year-old national coordinator of the Christian Liberation Movement was arrested on Nov. 30 in front of his Velasco home in the eastern province of Holguin. He was sentenced for “aggression” toward an official at the time of his arrest.
Amnesty International, which called for Cardet’s release in January, emphasized that he had been arrested after criticizing to foreign media revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who had died five days earlier.
At that time Amnesty had said “it is not clear on what grounds Eduardo Cardet was initially detained.”
On Monday a judge sentenced the doctor and father of two children to 36 months in prison. His family said Cardet will appeal within the allotted 10-day period.
According to his mother-in-law Marlenis Leiva, he was “imprisoned for his political opinions,” saying the legal process was a “parody.”
Authorities “told him his sentence in prison and allowed him to call the family to inform us,” Leiva told AFP. “We will see if they reduce his sentence or release him, which would be truly fair.”
Government and state media have not commented, as is usual in the case of Cuban dissidents.
Dissent is considered by Cuban authorities to be manipulated by foreign interests.
The Cuban Commission for Human Rights (CCHD) — officially banned but tolerated by authorities — in its latest June 2016 tally counted a total of 82 detainees held “for political reasons,” or prosecuted and condemned in politically motivated procedures.
