29 Independent Cuban journalists were detained in March 2003 in a massive government crackdown on the independent media and political opposition. Six of these journalists were released in 2004.

Alejandro González Raga
Arrested: March 18, 2003
González Raga, is an independent freelance journalist based in central Camagüey Province. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Camagüey Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 14 years in prison. On April 24 he was sent to Canaleta Prison in central Ciego de Ávila Province.

Alfredo Pulido López
Arrested: March 18, 2003
Pulido López is the director of the independent news agency El Mayor in central Camagüey Province. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Camagüey Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 14 years in prison. On April 24, he was sent to Combinado del Este Prison in western Ciudad Habana Province, hundreds of miles from his home.

Iván Hernández Carrillo
Arrested: March 18, 2003
Hernández Carrillo is a journalist with the independent news agency Patria in western Matanzas Province. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba’s National Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts “aimed at subverting the internal order of the Nation and destroying its political, economic, and social system.” On April 7, the Matanzas Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 25 years in prison. The journalist remained imprisoned in the provincial headquarters of the State Security Department until April 24, when he was sent to Holguín Provincial Prison in eastern Holguín Province.

José Gabriel Ramón Castillo
Arrested: March 18, 2003
Ramón Castillo is the director of the independent news agency Instituto Cultura y Democracia Press. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Santiago de Cuba Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. On April 24 he was sent to Santa Clara Provincial Prison in central Villa Clara Province.

José Luis García Paneque
Arrested: March 18, 2003
García Paneque is the director of the independent news agency Libertad in eastern Las Tunas Province. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Las Tunas Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 24 years in prison. In August, he was transferred to Santa Clara Provincial Prison, also in Villa Clara.

Julio César Gálvez Rodríguez
Arrested: March 18, 2000
Gálvez Rodríguez is a Havana-based independent freelance journalist. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba’s National Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts “aimed at subverting the internal order of the Nation and destroying its political, economic, and social system.” On April 7, the Havana Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 15 years in prison, and on April 24, he was sent to Santa Clara Provincial Prison in central Villa Clara Province.

Léster Luis González Pentón
Arrested: March 18, 2003
González Pentón is an independent journalist based in central Villa Clara Province. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Villa Clara Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. On April 24, the journalist was sent to Kilo 8 Prison in central Camagüey Province. In November, he was transferred to Kilo 7 Prison, also in Camagüey.

Miguel Galván Gutiérrez
Arrested: March 18, 2003
Galván Gutiérrez is a journalist with the independent news agency Havana Press. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Havana Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 26 years in prison. On April 24 the journalist was sent to Agüica Prison in western Matanzas Province, hundreds of miles from his home.

Omar Rodríguez Saludes
Arrested: March 18, 2003
Rodríguez Saludes is the director of the independent news agency Nueva Prensa Cubana. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Havana Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 27 years in prison. In December, the journalist was transferred to Nieves Morejón Prison in central Sancti Spíritus Province.

Pedro Argüelles Morán
Arrested: March 18, 2003
Argüelles Morán is the director of the independent news agency Cooperativa Avileña de Periodistas Independientes in central Ciego de Ávila Province. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba’s National Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts “aimed at subverting the internal order of the Nation and destroying its political, economic, and social system.” On April 7, the Ciego de Ávila Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. On April 24 the journalist was sent to Santa Clara Provincial Prison in central Villa Clara Province.

Ricardo González Alfonso
Arrested: March 18, 2003
González Alfonso is an independent freelance journalist and Cuba correspondent for the Paris-based press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Havana Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. On April 24, the journalist was sent to Kilo 8 Prison in Camagüey Province. González Alfonso is also the president of the independent journalists’ association Sociedad de Periodistas Manuel Márquez Sterling, founded in May 2001. His house, which was used as the association’s office, was raided on March 18.

Víctor Rolando Arroyo Carmona
Arrested: March 18, 2003
Arroyo Carmona is a journalist with the independent news agency Unión de Periodistas y Escritores de Cuba Independientes (UPECI) in western Pinar del Río Province. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Pinar del Río Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 26 years in prison. In late April, he was sent to Guantánamo Provincial Prison in eastern Guantánamo Province.

Adolfo Fernández Saínz
Arrested: March 19, 2003
Fernández Saínz is a journalist with the independent news agency Patria. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba’s National Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts “aimed at subverting the internal order of the Nation and destroying its political, economic, and social system.” On April 7, the Havana Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 15 years in prison. On April 24, the journalist was sent to Holguín Provincial Prison in eastern Holguín Province.

Alfredo Felipe Fuentes
Arrested: March 19, 2003
Fuentes is an independent freelance journalist based in western Habana Province. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Havana Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 26 years in prison. On April 24, the journalist was sent to Guamajal Prison in central Villa Clara Province.

Fabio Prieto Llorente
Arrested: March 19, 2003
Prieto Llorente is an independent freelance journalist based in western Isla de la Juventud Special Municipality. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba’s National Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts “aimed at subverting the internal order of the Nation and destroying its political, economic, and social system.” On April 7, the Isla de la Juventud Special Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. In May, the journalist was sent to Guanajay Prison in western Habana Province.

Héctor Maseda Gutiérrez
Arrested: March 19, 2003
Maseda Gutiérrez is a journalist with the independent news agency Grupo de Trabajo Decoro. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State”; and under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba’s National Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts “aimed at subverting the internal order of the Nation and destroying its political, economic, and social system.” On April 7, the Havana Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. In May, the journalist was transferred to La Pendiente Prison, also in Villa Clara Province.

José Ubaldo Izquierdo
Arrested: March 19, 2003
Ubaldo Izquierdo is a journalist with the independent news agency Grupo de Trabajo Decoro in western Habana Province. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Havana Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 16 years in prison. On April 24 the journalist was sent to Kilo 5 1/2 Prison in western Pinar del Río Province.

Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta
Arrested: March 19, 2003
Herrera Acosta is a journalist with the independent news agency Agencia de Prensa Libre Oriental in eastern Guantánamo Province, is one of 29 independent Cuban journalists who were detained in March. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba’s National Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts “aimed at subverting the internal order of the Nation and destroying its political, economic, and social system.” On April 7, the Guantánamo Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. In November, the journalist was transferred to Kilo 7 Prison, also in Camagüey.

Mario Enrique Mayo Hernández
Arrested: March 19, 2003
Mayo Hernández is the director of the independent news agency Félix Varela. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Camagüey Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. On April 24, the journalist was sent to Holguín Provincial Prison in eastern Holguín Province.

Mijaíl Bárzaga Lugo
Arrested: March 19, 2003
Bárzaga Lugo, a journalist with the independent news agency Agencia Noticiosa Cubana. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba’s National Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts “aimed at subverting the internal order of the Nation and destroying its political, economic, and social system.” On April 7, the Havana Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 15 years in prison. On April 24, the journalist was sent to Santa Clara Provincial Prison in central Villa Clara Province.

Normando Hernández González
Arrested: March 19, 2003
Hernández González is the director of the independent news agency Colegio de Periodistas Independientes de Camagüey (CPIC). His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Camagüey Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 25 years in prison. As punishment for his involvement in a hunger strike, Hernández González was sent to Kilo 5 1/2 Prison in western Pinar del Río Province.

Omar Ruiz Hernández
Arrested: March 19, 2003
Ruiz Hernández is a journalist with the independent news agency Grupo de Trabajo Decoro in central Villa Clara Province. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State.” On April 7, the Villa Clara Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 18 years in prison. On April 24, the journalist was sent to Boniato Prison in eastern Santiago de Cuba Province.

Pablo Pacheco Ávila
Arrested: March 19, 2003
Pacheco Ávila is a journalist with the independent news agency Cooperativa Avileña de Periodistas Independientes. His one-day summary trial was held in early April behind closed doors. He was tried under Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba’s National Independence and Economy, which imposes up to 20 years in prison for committing acts “aimed at subverting the internal order of the Nation and destroying its political, economic, and social system.” On April 7, the Ciego de Ávila Provincial Tribunal announced he had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. On April 24, the journalist was sent to Agüica Prison in western Matanzas Province.