In a recent Facebook video, Anna Bensi responded resolutely to her recent conviction, dismissing any notion of defeat and standing her ground against the Cuban regime.
On October 1, the Municipal People's Court of East Havana found Bensi and her mother, Caridad Silvente, guilty of "acts against personal and family privacy."
The pair was sentenced to two years of restricted freedom after filming and sharing on social media the moment a State Security agent delivered a summons to their home last March. The original video garnered over 1.7 million views on Facebook.
Defiant in the Face of Criticism
In her public statement, Bensi sarcastically addressed critics of her demeanor during the trial, asserting that she "didn't walk like someone accused."
"How did they expect to see me? Bitter? Downcast? Disheveled? Sad? Distressed? Broken? No," she declared. "I wasn't going to give them that satisfaction, and I won't. Head held high, trusting in God, with greater faith and stronger convictions than ever."
Questioning the Political Motivation
Bensi also challenged the official narrative that the trial lacked political motivation. "If I wasn't being judged for my beliefs but for posting a video of a police officer delivering a summons from State Security, why were my fellow believers and friends, known for supporting Cuba's freedom, detained?" she questioned.
On the trial day, evangelical pastor Rolando Fidel Pérez Lora, known as "Christ's Herald," and Christian activist David Espinosa Martínez were detained while attempting to attend the court session. Only one defense witness was allowed into the courtroom.
Expressing Gratitude and Calling for Solidarity
Bensi expressed gratitude in her video for the support from churches, religious conventions, media, artists, and influencers who stood by her, emphasizing that such solidarity goes beyond her personal ordeal. "Supporting this case and denouncing this injustice is also supporting Cuba's freedom," she stated.
She also urged attention to other political prisoners, particularly those involved with the audiovisual project El4tico.
"The El4tico boys remain unjustly imprisoned. We all know they are innocent men, facing planned convictions of 8 and 10 years respectively," Bensi denounced, referring to Ernesto Ricardo Medina and Kamil Zayas Pérez, who were detained in February of this year.
A Message Against Injustice
The process against Bensi was overseen by Judge Zamira Marrero Morgado, criticized by activists for her involvement in trials against 11J protesters.
Concluding her video, Bensi warned about fake profiles using her name on Facebook.
"I find it quite shameful to stay silent while all kinds of injustices occur before our eyes simply because we disagree with the deceitful, humiliating, diabolical discourse of the dictatorship in our country," the young woman declared. She ended her message with a demand: "Freedom for all political prisoners and freedom for Cuba."
Understanding the Political Climate in Cuba
Why were Anna Bensi and her mother convicted?
Anna Bensi and her mother were convicted for "acts against personal and family privacy" after they recorded and shared a video of a State Security agent delivering a summons at their home.
What was the response from the international community to Bensi's case?
Anna Bensi received support from various churches, religious conventions, media, artists, and influencers. This solidarity was seen as a broader support for the freedom of Cuba.
Who are the El4tico members mentioned by Bensi?
El4tico members Ernesto Ricardo Medina and Kamil Zayas Pérez are political prisoners facing lengthy sentences, whom Bensi highlighted as victims of injustice by the Cuban regime.