Cuba: Four years after an unjust conviction, Afro-Cuban artists remain imprisoned for expressing themselves

23 June 2026

Also available in Español

On the fourth anniversary of the sentencing of Maykel Castillo Pérez “Osorbo” and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Amnesty International said:

“The conviction of rapper Maykel Castillo Pérez ‘Osorbo’ and visual artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara starkly exposed how the Cuban authorities use the criminal justice system to punish dissident artists and silence their right to freedom of expression. Their imprisonment also shows how repression can have a particular impact on Afro-Cuban people who publicly challenge those in power. Four years later, Maykel and Luis Manuel continue to suffer the consequences of an unjust sentence that should never have existed,” said Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

The conviction of rapper Maykel Castillo Pérez ‘Osorbo’ and visual artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara starkly exposed how the Cuban authorities use the criminal justice system to punish dissident artists and silence their right to freedom of expression.”