Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Amnesty International reported what it describes as an escalation of arbitrary detentions, illegal surveillance and harassment targeting relatives of political prisoners and people linked to high-profile cases of state repression in Cuba, according to a statement released Tuesday.
The human rights organization said it verified information about state security operations that include police blockades around homes, constant surveillance, restrictions on freedom of movement and threats against activists and government critics.
"The constant surveillance of homes, short-term arbitrary detentions and unjustified restrictions on leaving one's home are part of a systematic pattern of authoritarian practices the Cuban state is using to punish and deter any form of dissent," said Johanna Cilano, Amnesty International's Caribbean researcher.
Amnesty International said the growing harassment and deterioration in the health of detainees point to a persistent pattern of repression and authoritarian practices.
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