The prosecutor from Matanzas, Ana Lilian Caballero Arango, and the PNR officer, María Juantorena Herrera, have been added to the list of Cuban Repressors due to their involvement in the case against academics Alina Bárbara López Hernández and Jenny Pantoja Torres. The Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (FHRC) reports that Caballero Arango is accused of unjustly demanding four and three years of imprisonment, respectively, substituted by correctional labor without confinement for the dissident academics.
The prosecutor's case is based on a narrative filled with inaccuracies regarding the arbitrary arrest of the two activists on June 18, 2024, when they were heading to Havana to conduct their peaceful protest, which occurs on the 18th of every month, as detailed in the report. Meanwhile, Juantorena is accused of violently assaulting the "dissident intellectuals" after intercepting their rental car at the Bacunayagua checkpoint on May 18, 2024, as they traveled from Matanzas to Havana.
Prosecution Demands Correctional Labor
The Cuban prosecution has called for a sentence of four years of correctional labor without confinement for intellectual and activist Alina Bárbara López Hernández, citing charges of contempt, disobedience, and assault following her arrest on June 18, 2024. On that day, López Hernández and anthropologist Jenny Victoria Pantoja Torres were traveling to Havana for a peaceful protest when they were stopped by police in Matanzas.
In her detailed report, prosecutor Ana Lilian Caballero Arango also seeks a three-year substitute sentence for Pantoja on charges of assault. Additionally, they are required to compensate for supposed material damages to a police officer: 650 CUP by López Hernández for damaging a uniform and 500 CUP by Pantoja for replacing artificial hair extensions for the officer.
Alina describes the prosecutor's file as a "dramatic script" full of falsehoods, aiming to deny the political nature of the case. In a lengthy post on Facebook, the historian claims that both she and Pantoja were victims of police violence, which resulted in medically documented injuries, yet these were not considered during the proceedings.
"We were the ones beaten, violated, and treated like animals. That day, I feared for my life...", López Hernández recounts, who was later diagnosed with post-traumatic labyrinthitis. Pantoja, on the other hand, suffered chest bruises after being restrained by the same officer.
Political Nature of the Case
In her statement, López Hernández condemns the attempt to depoliticize the case: "The prosecutor tries to strip the events of their political nature, which is more than evident and exposes a State that uses violence to prevent the exercise of constitutional rights." The accusations fail to mention that both women were on their way to exercise their right to peaceful protest, instead portraying them as engaging in a roadside brawl with accounts López calls "implausible" and "absurd."
Despite their acknowledged intellectual standing, both face a judicial process that they argue is designed to punish their civic activism and serve as a deterrent to others who challenge the system. While the trial date remains unknown, López has warned that "we will not be alone on the bench: it will be the 2019 Constitution that once again sits accused," referring to the contradiction between the rights it acknowledges and their practical application under a dictatorship.
The case has sparked reactions among activists and human rights defenders both inside and outside the Island, who caution that this form of dissent criminalization undermines the international commitments made by the Cuban State. "Dictatorships cannot masquerade as democracies, no matter how they try," López Hernández asserted, making clear her stance of peaceful resistance against what she views as a disguised political trial.
The trial against the two intellectuals will take place at the Matanzas Municipal People's Court. This will not be the first time the distinguished academic finds herself in court. In November 2023, she faced trial for alleged disobedience after she took to the central park in Matanzas with a sign demanding the release of writer and journalist Jorge Fernández Era in April of that year. She was found guilty and fined.
Understanding the Case Against Alina Barbara López and Jenny Pantoja
What charges are Alina Bárbara López Hernández facing?
Alina Bárbara López Hernández is facing charges of contempt, disobedience, and assault, with a proposed sentence of four years of correctional labor without confinement.
Why is the case considered political?
The case is seen as political because the charges and narrative aim to obscure the political nature of the activists' actions, which were intended as peaceful protests, thus highlighting a systemic attempt to suppress dissent.
What international reactions has the case provoked?
The case has drawn attention from activists and human rights defenders who argue that it violates international commitments to human rights and democracy, criticizing Cuba's actions as a form of criminalizing dissent.