[liberationtech] Cuba detains Yoani Sanchez

[Yosem Companys]

 Producer Of TV Martí's Estado De SATS Jailed
November 8, 2012
  Antonio Rodilles

Miami - Antonio Rodilles, the Cuba-based independent producer of the
Emmy-nominated TV Martí program *Estado de SATS* , has been jailed in
Havana after seeking information on the arrest of two Cuban dissidents.

Rodilles was arrested when he and the six others went to the Ministry of
the Interior in Havana to ask about the status of of two independent
attorneys, Yaremis Flores and Veizant Boloy, who had been arrested earlier
in the day.

Later, Blogger Yoani Sánchez, who had been blogging about the incident, was
also detained. Sánchez is the author of the influential blog Generación Y,
which has gained a global audience with its critical portrayal of the Cuban
government.

"We will continue to investigate the details of this situation and
accurately report the treatment of Antonio Rodilles, Yoani Sánchez and all
involved," Guillermo Santa Cruz, general manager of Radio and TV Martí.

According to Cuban blogger and Radio Martí contributor Orlando Luis Pardo,
the arrests were violent and the seven dissidents were all sent to
different Havana jails. All of those arrested along with Rodilles are
frequent participants and guests on *Estado de SATS*.

Although Cuban authorities have said nothing about the arrests, Rodilles'
parents said he is being held on contempt charges.

*Estado de SATS* is a weekly program made in Cuba, with wrap-around
segments produced in Miami, that tackles the realities and challenges faced
by Cubans. The show was nominated for an Emmy this fall by the Suncoast
Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Rodilles had continued to produce the show despite arrests, beatings and
persistent surveillance by Cuban authorities.

"From its beginning *Estado de SATS* has meant intense work," he said after
hearing of his Emmy nomination last month. "The best part is that we have
been able to create bridges with different projects and other people have
begun to collaborate, people that were once isolated."

Rodilles has described the program as "a series of public encounters
focusing on ever-evolving subject matter." Since its launch earlier this
year, the program has featured content ranging from interviews with Cuban
thought-leaders, to footage of live music events, to political discussions.



For press queries, please contact Letitia King at lking at bbg.gov.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.stanford.edu/pipermail/liberationtech/attachments/20121108/4946ea7e/attachment.html>