Human rights defender arrested and threatened

On the morning of 25th July 2018, the human rights defender, Henry Couto, was preparing to travel to the province of Santiago de Cuba. While he was at the bus terminal, he was approached by State Security officer, who asked him about his destination. The victim replied that he was free and he could go wherever he wanted. The officer took out his identification as a member of the security organs and told him that he had to go with him. The defender was taken to the unit on West 8th and South 3rd Street where he was attended by a Major and an Officer. Those agents threatened him with prison as they were tired of dealing with him. In addition, the officials offended him by calling him a "mercenary of imperialism, just like José Daniel Ferrer García" (whom he was going to see). They also told him that he could not travel anywhere and that they had the resources and the personnel to prevent any action he might want to take.