ARC, CRD, PEN International, and PEN Cuba in Exile Centre Urge Cuba to Unconditionally Release Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

8 July 2026

(NEW YORK – LONDON) — ARC – Artists at Risk Connection, Civil Rights Defenders (CRD), PEN International, and PEN Cuba in Exile Centre are deeply concerned following reports that Cuban multidisciplinary artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara is being held in an undisclosed location after being removed from maximum-security prison on 7 July, just two days before the scheduled completion of his unjust five-year sentence. At the time of publication of this statement, his whereabouts had not yet been officially confirmed. ARC – Artists at Risk Connection, Cubalex and PEN International have documented a broader pattern in which Cuban authorities pressure dissidents and former political prisoners into exile rather than allowing them to resume their lives freely in Cuba. These developments offer cautious hope that Luis Manuel’s long-awaited release may be imminent, while underscoring that any decision to leave Cuba must be entirely voluntary and must never be imposed as a condition of his freedom. 

After almost five years of unjust imprisonment, ARC, CRD, and PEN International call on the Cuban authorities to ensure that Otero Alcántara is released immediately and unconditionally, that his physical and psychological integrity is protected, and that he is able to resume his artistic and civic activities free from surveillance, harassment, reprisals, or any further arbitrary restrictions.

“Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara should never have spent a single day in prison for his art,” said Julie Trébault, Executive Director of ARC – Artists at Risk Connection. “Tomorrow marks the completion of his unjust five-year prison sentence. Reports that he has been removed from Guanajay prison offer cautious hope that his release is imminent, but until he is safely reunited with his family, serious concerns remain. Cuban authorities must immediately confirm his whereabouts, ensure his physical and psychological integrity, and release him without delay. Luis Manuel must not be forced to choose between prison and exile. He has the right to remain in Cuba and to continue his artistic practice free from intimidation, surveillance, or reprisals.”

Otero Alcántara, an internationally acclaimed multidisciplinary artist and founder of the San Isidro Movement, was arrested following the historic protests of July 11, 2021, and sentenced in June 2022 to five years’ imprisonment on charges of insulting national symbols, contempt, and public disorder, widely condemned as politically motivated. Throughout his detention, he endured prolonged isolation, restrictions on family contact, repeated violations of due process, and serious concerns regarding his health and well-being. Amnesty International has recognized him as a prisoner of conscience.

His transfer from Guanajay prison comes amid sustained international concern that Cuban authorities could seek to fabricate new charges to extend his detention beyond the completion of his sentence, a tactic that has been documented in other politically motivated cases. His case has also received renewed international attention in recent days, including at the United Nations General Assembly, where he was highlighted as an example of the continued repression of artists and political prisoners in Cuba.

“No artist should face years of imprisonment simply for creating, criticizing those in power, or participating peacefully in public life,” said Daniel Pedreira, President of PEN Cuba in Exile Centre. “Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara’s case illustrates the devastating human cost of criminalizing artistic expression. We call on the Cuban authorities not only to ensure his freedom, but also to end the systematic persecution of artists, writers, journalists, and all those who peacefully exercise their right to freedom of expression.”

Alongside a broad coalition of artists, cultural institutions, human rights organizations, governments, and United Nations experts, our organizations have consistently monitored and condemned the arbitrary detention of Otero Alcántara and other members of the San Isidro Movement as part of a broader pattern of repression against independent artistic and civic voices in Cuba.

“Luis Manuel is a symbol of a Cuban citizenry seeking change through art and nonviolent methods, ” said Maria Pia Alvira, Civil Rights Defenders (CRD) Latin America Dept. Director. “His imprisonment shows the Cuban State’s fear of any innovative form of expression, and of any figure who may become a popular symbol. We call for the unconditional release not only of Luis Manuel, but of all artists unjustly imprisoned for expressing themselves and thinking differently.”

Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara’s expected release on 9 July would represent an important and long-overdue step toward justice, but it cannot erase the nearly five years he has spent unjustly imprisoned solely because of his artistic expression and peaceful activism. His release must be immediate and unconditional, and Cuban authorities must guarantee that he can live and work freely without intimidation, surveillance, arbitrary detention, judicial harassment, or pressure to leave the country. They must also release all individuals imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their human rights and bring their laws and practices into compliance with international human rights standards protecting freedom of expression, artistic freedom, and peaceful assembly.

About ARC

ARC – Artists at Risk Connection is an international organization committed to promoting and advancing the right to artistic freedom worldwide. Founded in 2017, ARC works to protect artists and cultural workers who are at risk because of their creative expression, often connected to their identities or roles within their communities. By providing vital resources and support, ARC helps artists at risk overcome challenges like persecution, censorship, threats, and violence from both state and non-state actors—whether for their artistic expression or the broader impact they have on cultural, social, and political issues. artistsatriskconnection.org

About CRD

CRD – Civil Rights Defenders is a politically and religiously independent human rights organisation. Founded as the Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in 1982, we partner with and support human rights defenders who work in some of the world’s most repressive regions. Our vision is a world of democratic societies in which we all enjoy our civil and political rights. crd.org

About PEN International

PEN International is the foremost and largest association of writers that stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression around the world. Founded in London in 1921, PEN International connects an international community of writers. PEN operates across five continents through over 130 centres, in over a hundred countries. It is a forum where writers meet freely to discuss their work; it is also a voice speaking out for writers silenced in their own countries. PEN International works to promote the PEN Charter to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to impart information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others. pen-international.org