Activist detained and threatened with death by state agents for speaking out against Cuban government

On September 16, Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) activist Iván Antonio Perez Santana was arrested after he publicly stated that the opposition had achieved more respect for human rights today from the government. The activist went on to say that if there is anyone to thank, it is the opposition and not the government because the one who denounces all the violations and abuses suffered by the people is not precisely the government, it is the opposition. The activist, a few moments after saying this, was arrested by captain and sector chief Gianny Clape Rodríguez. This officer lives a block away from the activist, so it was very easy for him to find out what had happened, and the person who denounced the activist was auxiliary Braulio Marso, who also lives in the same neighborhood as the activist. After being detained by this officer, he was taken to the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) unit where he remained for a period of time from 12 p.m on the 16th September to 4 p.m. on 18th of September. The activist said that while he was detained in a cell of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) unit, he was interrogated on three occasions by State Security Department (DSE) officers Alfredo Oliveros and Lieutenant Colonel Diesel Castro Pelegrin, even though officials at all times retracted his statements in front of the members of the Committee for the defense of the revolution (CDR) in the area where he lives. The activist refused to be publicly exiled as if he were a criminal. He told the officers who were interrogating him and forcing him to say what they wanted him to say this, but he never said anything that wasn't true. The activist went on to say that if he had to go to prison for wanting the truth, they should do it because he wasn't going to be ready for that blackmail, and he was released after 48 hours of hellish interrogation, during which he was subject to all kinds of threats including death threats. The activist was officially warned by a DSE officer before being released and fined by the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) officer who was standing next to the state security officer, named Carlos Pelegrin. The activist was released but before leaving the unit, Lieutenant Colonel, and head of state security Lesnier Leiva told him in a threatening manner that they would meet soon.