Seven Months of "Unjust and Arbitrary" Detention for El4tico Founders

This Sunday marks seven months since the arrest of Kamil Zayas Pérez and Ernesto Ricardo Medina, the founders of the independent audiovisual project El4tico. They were detained by State Security at their homes in Holguín, with no charges filed or trial date set to this day.

The group, Out of the Box Cuba, observed the occasion on X, condemning the detention as "unjust and arbitrary" and demanding the release of both young men.

"Ernesto and Kamil were among the first to support us when we began. Today, we raise our voices for them. Seven months won't erase their names or extinguish their fight," the group declared in their statement.

Unlawful Arrest and Confiscation

The operation leading to their arrest on February 6, 2026, involved home searches where agents seized a laptop, camera, phone, tripod, and router. The agents refused to present a search warrant when Medina requested it, and the procedure was conducted without witnesses, violating Law No. 143 of Criminal Procedure.

After being held at the police unit known as "Everyone Sings," both were transferred to Holguín Provincial Prison at the end of March 2026.

Accusations and Legal Struggles

The Holguín Provincial Prosecutor's Office has charged them with alleged offenses of "propaganda against the constitutional order" and "incitement to commit a crime," which could result in up to nine years of imprisonment. A habeas corpus petition submitted on their behalf was initially accepted by the Provincial Court but was later denied.

Human rights organization Cubalex has condemned the violation of due process, warning that "the prolongation of pretrial detention for six months without charges or a trial date exacerbates concerns about the procedural guarantees for both young men."

Pressure and Resistance

The pressure on Medina extended further when his mother revealed in April that State Security demanded he record a video of repentance and retraction, which he refused. Cubalex labeled this practice as "incompatible with respect for freedom of conscience and the right not to be compelled to incriminate oneself or make statements under coercion."

From prison, Kamil has maintained a public stance of resistance. Just two weeks after his arrest, he sent a message to his followers, and in June, he sent a handwritten letter from prison denouncing the country's situation and urging citizens not to relinquish their rights.

"What started as a humble room, has been transformed into a large house. It has been worth it. Don't give up. Let's now build a community, one that's fair and good. We rely on you. Long live a Dignified Cuba," Kamil wrote in his initial message from confinement.

International Condemnation

The case has sparked international outrage. The Committee to Protect Journalists has demanded their immediate release since February, calling the arrest an example of restriction on the flow of information in Cuba. The United States Embassy in Cuba has also publicly called for the immediate release of both El4tico founders, along with all political prisoners on the island.

El4tico emerged in Holguín in 2024 as a project producing sociopolitical analysis and criticism of Cuban reality. Before the founders' arrest, it had garnered around 80,000 followers on Instagram. Kamil spent his birthday on August 8 in Holguín Provincial Prison; Ernesto marked his on August 18, also incarcerated and with no trial date in sight.