Michel Matos
The Organization of American States (OAS) held a session with Cuban artists to discuss the role of artistic expression in the promotion of fundamental freedoms and democratic change in Cuba, as well as the censorship suffered by those who decide to express themselves outside the frames authorized by the Government.
“Amnesty International is concerned that the recent arbitrary detentions of Cuban artists protesting Decree 349, as reported by Cuban independent media, are an ominous sign of things to come. We stand in solidarity with all independent artists in Cuba that are challenging the legitimacy of the decree and standing up for a space in which they can work freely without fear of reprisals.”
We started this campaign because we discovered that our life was mortgaged by this law. We are in danger when we come here, but we are in more danger if our situation is not visible and our campaign is not known.
Michel Matos, producer of Matraka, an alternative platform with the aim of promoting and bringing techno music, among others, to the Cuban scene, is an activist for cultural rights in Cuba. Michel has taken an active role among other artists, musicians and performers against the controversial Decree 349, which grants the Ministry of Culture disproportionate power to control, cancel and sanction artistic expressions, while containing vague and overly broad restrictions. Michel Matos has been arbitrary detained as well as faced intimidation and threats for his activism.
The Cuban government controls all the media and those who advocate for freedom of expression are being constantly targeted for their legitimate human rights work, like the well-known case of the blogger Yoani Sanchez.
