The IACHR and its Special Rapporteur condemn the excessive of use of the State of Cuba in controlling protests in the country.

On 15th July 2021, the IACHR and its Special Rapporteur on Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights (SRESCER) and Freedom of Expression reprehended the State of Cuba for deploying an extreme amount of force and violence against peaceful protesters on 11th July 2021. On this day, thousands of individuals went to the streets to demand social and political changes in the country’s current system, which remains structured according to socialist rules. These protests were motivated by repeated shortages of food, medicines and basic hygiene products, which, according to the protesters, has worsened the spread of the COVID-19 on the island. Demonstrators also demanded the release of journalists and Human Rights Defenders that have been strongly criticizing the attitudes and decisions of the government. The Inter-American institutions urged the authorities to respect their international Human Rights obligations regarding the use of force by law-enforcement agents and the due diligence to conduct investigations about Human Rights violations that resulted from the exaggerated use of force. The IACHR also called the authorities to improve the dialogue between the public organs and the civil society to address the people's demands and asked Cuba to join international human rights systems. For further information, please visit: https://www.oas.org/en/IACHR/jsForm/?File=/en/iachr/media_center/PReleases/2021/177.asp