Independent journalist Camila Acosta, who reports for CubaNet and serves as the Havana correspondent for the Spanish newspaper ABC, was released on Tuesday after being held for several hours by State Security agents.
"I just got home. I spent the entire afternoon in a cell at the Playa police station. I'll share the details tomorrow. Thank you all for your concern," Acosta posted on Facebook.
Authorities intercepted Acosta near her home in the Plaza de la Revolución municipality as she was heading to a veterinary appointment with her cat. Her husband, writer and former political prisoner Ángel Santiesteban, told CubaNet, "They took her away in handcuffs and forcibly placed her in the patrol car."
The cat was left stranded on the street until a neighbor took it in and informed Santiesteban. He visited several police stations but received no information about his wife's whereabouts. When neighbors attempted to intervene, officers cited a vague accusation: that "because of her, a revolutionary's relative was harmed," without any formal charges being presented.
On the same day, judicial pressure was exerted on Acosta's family. The Diez de Octubre Municipal People's Court scheduled a hearing for November 5 against Santiesteban and three other Masonic leaders. They are accused of illegal currency trafficking related to informal exchanges totaling $300, intended for the Llansó National Masonic Asylum. Prosecutors are seeking a two-year restriction of freedom and a fine of 20,000 pesos for Santiesteban.
Acosta's detention is part of a broader crackdown on independent journalists, which has escalated recently. The day before, Adelth Bonne Gamboa, another CubaNet collaborator, was violently detained in Santos Suárez. He was released hours later but had his laptop, phone, camera, and audio equipment confiscated, and was fined 3,000 pesos under Decree-Law 370, a regulation the regime uses against individuals sharing information online.
Freedom House condemned both arrests, describing them as part of "a larger effort to silence independent journalism and conceal the reality of repression in Cuba," and demanded the immediate release of those detained for their journalistic work, urging an end to harassment, arbitrary detention, and intimidation against independent journalists.
Acosta has faced consistent harassment. Just five days prior, a plainclothes officer blocked her from leaving her home without a warrant or identification, an incident she recorded and shared. In 2022, she reported being detained around twenty times throughout her career, and she has been "regulated"—prohibited from leaving the country—since 2019.
Understanding the Risks for Independent Journalists in Cuba
Why was Camila Acosta detained?
Camila Acosta was detained by State Security agents on vague accusations that she was responsible for harm to a revolutionary's relative. No formal charges were presented against her.
What actions did Freedom House take?
Freedom House condemned the detentions of Camila Acosta and Adelth Bonne Gamboa, calling for the immediate release of detained journalists and an end to harassment and intimidation of independent reporters in Cuba.
What were the charges against Ángel Santiesteban?
Ángel Santiesteban, along with three other Masonic leaders, faces charges of illegal currency trafficking related to informal exchanges intended for a Masonic asylum. Prosecutors are seeking a two-year restriction of freedom and a fine.