HAVANA, Cuba, Jan 25 (ACN) In compliance with its duty to continue informing the people and the international public opinion on the legal response to the events of July 11, 2021, which attempted against the constitutional order and the stability of the Cuban socialist state, the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic reported on the status of the criminal proceedings arising from such events.
In a statement published by the judicial institution on the Cubadebate website, it is recalled that the events took place in a particularly complex context of world economic crisis, aggravated by an unprecedented pandemic, and the tightening of the economic, commercial and financial blockade by the U.S. government.
The text pointed out that in a tendentious manner, the manipulations and opinion matrixes that seek to accuse Cuba of human rights violations continue, trying to delegitimize the criminal proceedings initiated to investigate conduct constituting a crime, in accordance with the laws in force.
The Attorney General's Office of the Republic, clarifies, as part of its mission, verified compliance with the rights and constitutional guarantees of due process and controlled the development of the investigations carried out by the bodies of the Ministry of the Interior, the right to defense was guaranteed, the lawyers provided evidence and had access to the proceedings.
It added that, once the investigation was completed, they received 117 preparatory phase files corresponding to the most significant events, with 790 people charged for acts of vandalism, attacks against authorities, persons and property, as well as serious disturbances of the peace.
Twenty-one percent of these people had a criminal record, it read.
Of these, 110 files have been submitted to the courts, with 710 defendants for trial, 69 % of them secured with the precautionary measure of provisional imprisonment.
Of the total number of defendants in these files, 115 are between 16 and 20 years of age, against whom it was determined to bring criminal action before the courts, due to the seriousness of the acts committed and their proven participation:
-55 are between 16 and 18 years of age, of whom 28 secured with the precautionary measure of pre-trial detention. Based on the possibilities offered by the law and as a result of the practice of the evidence in the oral proceedings, the acknowledgement of the facts, the repentance shown and the condition of students, the Prosecutor's Office modified the sanction request for 18 of these defendants, for others of lesser severity.
-Also, 60 are between 19 and 20 years of age, of which 41 are remanded in custody.
The release indicates that the decision of the Prosecutor's Office to support the accusation before the courts, in all cases, was based on the evidence provided, among them the declarations of witnesses and victims, expert analysis of videos published in different media and others taken, which allowed the identification of the accused in facts that typify the crimes of public disorder, instigation to commit crimes, damages, robbery with force and violence, attack, sabotage and sedition.
The decision to indict for the crime of sedition, although it has severe penalties, corresponds to the level of violence demonstrated in the vandalism that in a tumultuous manner caused injuries and endangered the lives of citizens, officials and members of the forces of order, by attacking them with the use of sharp, blunt and incendiary objects, with the serious disturbance of public order and the deliberate purpose of subverting the constitutional order, he points out.
It added that in different localities official institutions, hospitals, exchange houses (CADECA), commercial establishments and fuel stations were stoned; many of them, as a consequence of the violence generated, were looted and goods were stolen, causing considerable damages; likewise, means of transportation were besieged, overturned and damaged.
The penalties requested by the Prosecutor's Office are in accordance with the seriousness of the facts, the level of participation and the damage caused to society, it referred.
As a result of the 84 trials carried out, the institution has been notified of 44 sentences dictated by the courts, in which 172 defendants were sanctioned, who had the right to establish the corresponding appeals.
Regarding minors under 16 years of age, it explained that in Cuba they are not subject to criminal law.
It expressed that in the investigations the participation of 27 was accredited, to whom the established legal procedure was applied: 10 were interned in integral and behavioral training schools, for participating along with adults in the perpetration of these acts; and to 17 the measure of individualized attention was applied in the school of the National Education System where they are studying.
The Prosecutor's Office, in accordance with its constitutional function, attended to 508 citizens who requested information on these criminal proceedings and processed 238 complaints or petitions.
According to the text, the prosecutors interviewed the persons and verified the exposed elements that were contributed to the criminal investigation and the results were personally explained by the prosecutor to the promoters, offering the legal arguments in each case.
"The Attorney General's Office of the Republic reiterated that it will act in accordance with the constitutional assignment, within the framework of legality, with adherence to due process, the protection of the interests of the State and respect for the right of all citizens," the statement concluded.
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