Press release

The Office of the Attorney General of the Republic of Cuba informed the national public about the legal response provided to the grave events that occurred on July 11, 2021, which violated the constitutional order and citizen security. A summary of this update is offered for general knowledge.

• As has been explained, the aforementioned events occurred in a particularly complex context of the world economic crisis, exacerbated by an unprecedented pandemic that took the lives of many Cubans, and the intensification of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States government against our country, which continues trying, without being able to succeed, to destroy the Revolution.

• In a tendentious manner, media manipulations and opinion patterns have been maintained, which seek to accuse Cuba of alleged “human rights violations”, trying to delegitimize criminal proceedings initiated to investigate conduct constituting a crime, in accordance with existing laws.

• The Office of the Attorney General of the Republic, as part of its mission, verified compliance with the constitutional rights and guarantees of due process, and controlled the development of the investigations carried out by the bodies of the Ministry of the Interior. The right to defense was guaranteed, the lawyers provided evidence and had access to the proceedings.

• Once the investigation was concluded, the Prosecutor's Office received 117 files from the preparatory phase corresponding to the events of greatest connotation, with 790 people charged for acts of vandalism, which attacked authorities, people and property, as well as serious disturbances of order. 21% of these people already had a criminal record.

• Of these, 110 files have been submitted to the courts, with 710 defendants for trial. 69% of them were secured with the precautionary measure of provisional imprisonment.

• Of the total number of defendants in these files, 115 are between 16 and 20 years of age, against whom it was determined to bring criminal action before the courts, due to the seriousness of the acts committed and their proven participation.

• 55 are between 16 and 18 years old, of which 28 were secured with the precautionary measure of pre-trial detention. Based on the possibilities offered by the law and as a result of the practice of the evidence in the oral proceedings, the acknowledgment of the facts, the repentance shown and the condition of students, the Prosecutor's Office modified 18 of these sanction requests, for others of lesser severity.

• Also, 60 are between 19 and 20 years old, of these 41 are remanded in custody.

• The decision of the Prosecutor's Office to uphold the accusation before the courts, in all cases was based on the means of evidence provided, including the statements of witnesses and victims, expert opinion of videos published in different media and other taken materials, which allowed the identification of the accused. The facts for which they are tried classify as crimes of public disorder, instigation to commit a crime, damages, robbery with force and violence, attack, sabotage and sedition.

• The accusations for the crime of sedition, although they imply severe penalties, correspond to the level of violence shown in the mob vandalism that caused injuries and endangered the lives of citizens, officials and members of the security forces, who were attacked with sharp, blunt and incendiary objects. This caused serious disturbance of public order with the deliberate purpose of subverting the legal and constitutional order.

• In several localities, official institutions, hospitals, exchange houses (CADECA), commercial establishments and fuel stations were stoned. Many of them, as a result of the violence generated, were looted and their goods were stolen, causing considerable damage. Likewise, state and private means of transport were besieged, overturned and damaged.

• The penalties requested by the Prosecutor's Office are in correspondence with the seriousness of the facts, the level of participation and the damage caused to society.

• As a result of the 84 trials carried out, the Prosecutor's Office has been notified of 44 sentences dictated by the courts, in which 172 defendants were sanctioned, who exercised the right to establish the corresponding appeals.

• Regarding minors under 16 years of age, in Cuba these are not subject to Criminal Law. In the investigations, the participation of 27 of them was accredited, to whom the established legal procedure was applied: 10 were interned in comprehensive training and behavioral training schools, for participating together with adults in the commission of criminal acts; 17 were given the measure of individualized educational attention in the school of the National Education System where they are studying.

• The Prosecutor's Office, in accordance with its constitutional function, assisted 508 citizens who requested information on these criminal proceedings and processed 238 complaints or petitions.

• The prosecutors interviewed the applicants and verified the exposed elements that were contributed to the criminal investigation. The results were explained personally by the prosecutors to the promoters, offering the legal arguments in each case.

The Office of the Attorney General of the Republic reiterates that it will continue to act in accordance with the constitutional mandate, within the legal framework, in accordance with due process, the protection of the interests of the State and respect for the rights of all citizens.

Permanent Mission of Cuba