Democratic Spaces joins freedom defenders worldwide in denouncing the arbitrary detention of Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara who has been the target of a brutal and constant campaign of arbitrary arrests, intimidation, fines and defamation. He is persecuted and harassed by the regime solely for his crusade against censorship in Cuba.

Arrest of Luis Manuel Otero

Days after a defamation campaign against Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara perpetrated anonymously by the Castro-Diaz Canel regime, the artist has once again been arbitrarily arrested today as reported by the San Isidro Movement in a video posted on their Twitter account.

The video captured covertly as police in Cuba is known for confiscating cell phones recording abuses, shows the moment when Luis Manuel was arrested. Luis Manuel and other artists in the San Isidro Movement gained national and international support after they initiated a crusade in Cuba against the censorship legislation known as Decree 349 that has since seen many artists and creatives targeted by the government.

Decree 349, “grants the Cuban Republic complete control over independent artistic production in the private sector, allowing government officials to shut down concerts, performances, galleries and book sales if they do not comply with a strict list of prohibited subject matter.”

As of March 3, 2020 Otero Alcántara had been arrested more than 20 times for his political performances and protests against censorship. In the course of 2020 Otero Alcantara had been arrested on three previous occasions. On March 1 he was violently arrested for alleged property damaged after his involvement in an anti censorship protest convened by the LGIBIQ community. He was arrested and beaten by a police officer on June 12 along with artist Maykel Osorno and he was once again arrested on June 25 after he filed a complaint against police abuse for his arbitrary arrest and beating on June 12.

In the past Otero Alcántara was considered a ‘Prisoner of Conscience’ by Amnesty International as he had been “imprisoned solely because of his consciously held believes.”