Sulmira Martínez Pérez, a 22-year-old Cuban activist, is set to face trial on Monday, September 23, after spending over a year and a half in detention. She was arrested on January 10, 2023, after organizing a protest through Facebook, similar to the one on July 11, 2021 (11J). Since her arrest, she has been held at both the Villa Marista State Security headquarters and the El Guatao women's prison.
Originally scheduled for August 12, Martínez's trial was abruptly canceled. Authorities later informed her mother, Norma Pérez, that the trial would take place this Monday. However, the family fears another postponement as Sulmira's lawyer is currently hospitalized with pneumonia, according to activist Marcel Valdés. Despite the uncertainty, her mother plans to attend the court session.
Concerns Over Legal Representation
Valdés, who has previously highlighted Martínez's situation, criticized the Cuban regime's actions and revealed that authorities suggested the family find a public defender. Meanwhile, activist and critic of the regime, Anamely Ramos, condemned the harsh charges against Martínez, stating, “One of the worst crimes of the Cuban regime is asking for a 10-year imprisonment for a young woman because of a few Facebook posts.”
The prosecution is seeking a total of ten years in prison for Sulmira: nine years for crimes against the constitutional order and an additional year for contempt. This case is part of a broader pattern of politically motivated and repressive trials against dissenting voices in Cuba.
Intimidation and Coercion
Martínez was held in the notorious State Security detention center and subjected to interrogations and pressure. On April 13, 2023, she appeared in a forced confession on the state-run Cuban television program Razones de Cuba. Her mother later recounted, “They gave her a script to read during the interview and falsely promised her release if she complied. They did not keep their word.”
In an attempt to paint Martínez as a foreign-funded agitator, regime spokesperson Humberto López featured her on his show, where she was coerced into saying, "I decided to create an anti-revolutionary account under the name Salem Cuba Censura because I needed the money." Her facial expressions and body language clearly indicated the pressure she was under during the so-called confession.
Ongoing Threats and Support
Despite the regime's efforts to discredit her, Martínez’s social media profile, Salem de Cuba, mainly posted memes that humorously criticized the Cuban reality and satirized the country's leaders. In mid-August 2023, her mother disclosed that political police officers had threatened Sulmira during interrogations and accused her of receiving foreign funds.
“The lawyer told me the case is very tough, but he will try to get a lighter sentence because the charge carries a penalty of four to ten years,” explained her mother in an interview with Valdés. She also mentioned that Sulmira remains resolute and wants her plight to be publicized. In El Guatao prison, she finds some protection among other political prisoners. “Salem is the youngest, and they have grown fond of her,” Norma told independent journalist Mónica Baró.