Human rights body files legal petition for Cuban artist and dissident Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara

People walk past graffiti in the colors of the Cuban flag in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos)

HAVANA — A human rights organization in Cuba is demanding information on the whereabouts of dissident artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, who was arrested in 2021 after protesting the government and was expected to be released last week.

The organization, Cubalex, which legally advises dissidents and reports human rights violations, filed a habeas corpus petition on Monday to ensure that the artist is not being illegally deprived of his liberty.

Neither Alcántara’s friends nor activist organizations know exactly where the artist is or what his legal status is, Cubalex said.

“The relevant judicial authorities now have a legal deadline of 72 hours to issue a response. This legal action is being filed amid a critical situation of vulnerability and lack of protection,” wrote Cubalex, an organization that operates from outside the island, on its X account.

The Associated Press sent a request for comment to the Cuban government, which did not immediately respond.

Alcántara, 38, was removed from Guanajay prison last week, two days before his sentence officially expired on July 9.

In October 2025, another well-known activist, José Daniel Ferrer, left prison and headed directly to the United States.

Alcántara was arrested on July 11, 2021, as he attempted to join a massive protest against blackouts. In 2022, a court sentenced him to five years in prison for public disorder, contempt and disrespect toward national symbols.

Organizations such as Amnesty International have designated him as a political prisoner, but the island’s government does not recognize that status.

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Andrea Rodríguez, The Associated Press