Cuba: Trial of writer José Gabriel Barrenechea Chávez set to open
Image Credit: Selfie of José Gabriel Barrenechea Cháve
‘Cuban writers and artists continue to face relentless persecution for their books, articles, and protests. The government’s systematic efforts to silence them reveal the profound fear of free expression that lies at the heart of repression in Cuba. The global PEN community urges the immediate release of José Gabriel Barrenechea— Ma Thida, Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee.
23 September 2025 - PEN International expresses concern that independent author and journalist José Gabriel Barrenechea Chávez will stand trial on the alleged charge of ‘public disorder,’ in proceedings scheduled for 24 September. He faces up to six years in prison if convicted. His persecution and lengthy pre-trial detention are a clear demonstration of the Cuban authorities’ relentless bid to silence all dissent. PEN International calls for Barrenechea’s immediate release.
José Gabriel Barrenechea, a Cuban independent journalist and author, has been detained since 8 November 2024 after participating in protests in Encrucijada, Villa Clara. He was arrested for allegedly leading a demonstration and charged with ‘public disorder’, carrying a potential sentence of six years in prison. His trial is set to open in Santa Clara.
Barrenechea’s detention has been marked by severe human rights violations, including poor prison conditions and isolation from his family. His elderly mother, who was suffering from cancer and died on 4 May 2025, was denied the right to see him. He denounced the serious irregularities surrounding his case, including the lack of due process.
Currently imprisoned in La Pendiente prison in Santa Clara, known for its overcrowded and poor conditions, Barrenechea’s health has deteriorated significantly. He went on a 10-day hunger strike shortly after his arrest and is suffering from extreme malnutrition, stomach and skin infections, sleep disorders, anxiety and depression.
Barrenechea has faced systematic harassment since 2019 for his critical journalism, including a travel ban, employment restrictions, and the censorship of his books in Cuba—part of a broader campaign of repression against independent journalists and government critics. He was repeatedly summoned by state security and briefly detained in attempts to intimidate him and silence his work.
His published works include Tubular Bells and Other Stories, Cuba, an Island Between Apathy and Revolution, and José Antonio Saco runs out of arguments. Before his arrest, Barrenechea also contributed to independent Cuban and international media outlets such as 14ymedio, Diario de Cuba and Latinoamérica 21, and co-edited the magazine Cuadernos de Pensamiento Plural.
PEN International calls once again for Barrenechea’s immediate release. His imprisonment is not an isolated case but part of a consistent pattern of repression directed at writers, artists, and journalists who dare criticize the Cuban authorities. PEN International’s report Método Cuba, published with Cubalex and Artists At Risk Connection, exposes how harassment, censorship, imprisonment, and forced exile are systematically used to silence dissenting voices in the country.
PEN International urges the Cuban government to meet its international human rights commitments and to guarantee a safe and free space for everyone exercising their right to freedom of expression.
For more information about José Gabriel Barrenechea case, please see our 2025 World Press Freedom Day Campaign.
For PEN International’s work on Cuba, please click here.
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