State Security detains Acosta on route to relatives of political prisoners without justification

Location: Cuba, Havana

Date: April 21, 2024

Women Press Freedom is deeply concerned and appalled by the recent detention of Camila Acosta, an independent journalist dedicated to shining a light on critical issues in Cuba. On April 21, 2024, while en route to interview families of political prisoners in Cárdenas, Matanzas province, Acosta was unjustly detained by State Security without any legitimate justification. This incident starkly underscores the hostile environment that journalists in Cuba continue to navigate. The authorities’ actions — arbitrarily detaining Acosta and escorting her back to Havana under excessive surveillance — represent a blatant disregard for press freedom and the fundamental human rights that support a free and informed society. We call on the Cuban authorities to provide a transparent explanation for this detention. We urge the international community to join us in advocating for the cessation of media censorship in Cuba. It is imperative that the rights and safety of journalists are prioritized to maintain the integrity of the press and to safeguard the democratic process of holding power to account.

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Independent journalist Camila Acosta was detained by State Security while on her way to meet with families of political prisoners in Cárdenas, Matanzas province, on April 21, 2024.

Acosta, who is associated with the media outlet CubaNet, was stopped and detained without clear justification. She was escorted back to Havana under heavy surveillance, involving multiple transfers between patrol cars. 

The journalist described a distressing journey marked by arbitrary stops and changes in vehicles. "In Bacunayagua, about ten minutes later, another patrol arrived. They took me in that other patrol to the checkpoint at the entrance to Guanabo, coming from Matanzas to here. And there they took me down again and put me in another patrol car to my house," Acosta recounted.

The incident was reported live on CubaNet's Facebook page, where Acosta expressed her confusion and concern over the lack of explanations provided by her captors. She was accompanied by Pedro de la Caridad Álvarez Pedroso, a former political prisoner, who was also detained.

Women Press Freedom firmly stands in solidarity with Camila Acosta. Her detention directly violates the principles of freedom of the press, which are essential for a democratic society. The actions taken against her represent a disturbing pattern of behavior by Cuban authorities towards independent journalists who strive to report on sensitive political issues. We demand transparency concerning the circumstances of Acosta's detention and the cessation of harassment and surveillance of journalists, which are tactics of oppression and control that have no place in a society that values free expression and the pursuit of truth. We further call on the international community to publicly and unequivocally condemn the detention of Camila Acosta and other journalists facing similar harassment in Cuba, use diplomatic channels to advocate for the protection of journalists and the cessation of media censorship and harassment, and advocate for accountability through international legal mechanisms and human rights bodies to address violations committed by the Cuban government. 

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