Government critic released to await trial

Document - Cuba: Further information: Government critic released to
await trial

Further information on UA: 100/12 Index: AMR 25/017/2012 Cuba Date: 1
May 2012

URGENT ACTION

GOVERNMENT CRITIC RELEASED TO AWAIT TRIAL

Government critic Andrés Carrión Álvarez has been released from prison ,
to await trial on trumped up charges.

Andrés Carrión Álvarez was released from prison on 13 April to await
trial on a charge of "public disorder" (desórdenes públicos) for
shouting "freedom" and "down with communism" before an open air mass
given by Pope Benedict XVI on 26 March.

Three days later, on 16 April, he was rearrested along with Anyer
Antonio Blanco Rodríguez, a fellow member of the umbrella group of
dissident organizations Patriotic Union of Cuba (Union Patriótica de
Cuba, UNPACU) as they were talking in a park in the centre of the city
of Santiago de Cuba. Andrés Carrión Álvarez was charged with another
count of "public disorder" before being released five hours later. Anyer
Antonio Blanco Rodríguez was held for five days, and then released
without charge.

As part of the conditions of his release, Andrés Carrión Álvarez must
report to a police station once a week, is not allowed to leave his home
municipality of Santiago de Cuba without prior authorization and must
not to associate with anyone deemed by the authorities to be a
government critic.

No date has been set for his trial. Amnesty International has called on
the Cuban authorities to withdraw unconditionally any charges against
Andrés Carrión Álvarez arising from his peaceful exercise of his right
to freedom of expression, and cease the harassment he is facing.

Andrés Carrión Álvarez has asked us to pass on his thanks to all those
who took action on his behalf. Amnesty International will be monitoring
his situation closely, and will take further action as appropriate.

No further action is requested at this time from the UA network. Many
thanks to all who sent appeals.

This is the first update of UA 100/12. Further information:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR25/013/2012

Name: Andrés Carrión Álvarez

Gender m/f: m

Further information on UA: 100/12 Index: AMR 25/017/2012 Issue Date: 1
May 2012

http://amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR25/017/2012/en/65760677-8c03-4414-94f5-def0e0f0defd/amr250172012en.html