Cuba: Three journalists detained in four days,RSF warns of restrictions on the right to report

Yoani Sánchez: another arrest after years of harassment

Yoani Sánchez was stopped at around 9:30 in the morning as she left her home in Nuevo Vedado, in Havana's Plaza de la Revolución municipality, according to an account by her colleagues at 14ymedio. She managed to send a brief message to the newsroom, but her family and colleagues did not know where she was for several hours. After her release, she confirmed on Facebook that she had returned home.

Reinaldo Escobar, a journalist at 14ymedio and Sánchez's husband, told RSF that she remained silent during questioning and refused food and drink. He recalled that, during previous detentions, the authorities had already threatened to prosecute his wife without following through on those threats.

Yoani Sánchez, who founded the blog Generación Y in 2007,set up the independent news outlet 14ymedio in 2014, which covers Cuba's political, economic, and social affairs. RSF had documented two of her arrests in 2012, including one when she was trying to cover a trial. In January 2026, officers prevented her from attending a meeting in Havana. In March, RSF denounced restrictions on her freedom of movement, and that of other journalists amid demonstrations linked to the energy crisis.

Camila Acosta and Adelth Bonne Gamboa also detained this week

On 3 November, Camila Acosta, a reporter for CubaNet and a correspondent for the Spanish newspaper ABC, was detained near her home in Havana's Plaza de la Revolución municipality. According to her husband, writer Ángel Santiesteban, agents handcuffed her and put her in a police vehicle. Her family only learnt of her arrest thanks to a neighbour. Acosta was held at a police station in Playa and released that evening. She said she was issued with an official warning after posting a video of a man she identified as a security agent who, according to her, had prevented her from leaving her home. She also said her phone was returned to her in a non-functional state.

On 2 November, at around 10:30 in the morning, police arrested Adelth Bonne Gamboa, a CubaNet contributor, near his home in the Santos Suárez neighbourhood of Diez de Octubre municipality, Havana. According to the outlet, he was handcuffed and taken to the Fourth Police Unit in Cerro municipality. After his release later that day, he reported being assaulted and having his work equipment confiscated. He said he also received further threats of imprisonment and a fine of 3,000 Cuban pesos imposed by the Ministry of Communications under Decree-Law 370 for his online posts.

Henry Constantín remains imprisoned in Camagüey

Henry Constantín, director of La Hora de Cuba, has been held in Camagüey, in east-central Cuba, since 16 September. The authorities accused him of failing to comply with a police summons, although he maintains that he did attend. RSF has documented at least 19 previous detentions. According to his partner, journalist Alejandra García, he spent 15 days in a punishment cell, and two complaints against him have reportedly been merged into one case file. He remains in Kilo 7 prison.

In Cuba, the Constitution reserves ownership of the main media outlets for the state, while the Law on Social Communication, adopted in 2024, regulates the media landscape. Cuba ranks 160th in RSF's World Press Freedom Index.