Art A Crime? Cuban Government Fails On Promise To Release Graffiti Artist #ElSexto

Art A Crime? Cuban Government Fails On Promise To Release Graffiti
Artist #ElSexto
Viva Tony Centeno | October 19, 2015 - 12:09 pm

The Cuban Government has failed to live up to their promise to release
from prison Danilo Maldonado Machado, a.k.a. "El Sexto." Family,
friends, and supporters of the out-spoken artist are outraged that
Machado has not been released after being held in jail against his will
for nearly a year.

On December 25, 2014, Machado was traveling by taxi, when agents of the
political police (Seguridad del Estado) pulled over the vehicle and
discovered pigs marked with the words "Fidel" and "Raul" on their backs.
The pigs were intended to be used as part of his art show, later that day.

According to Amnesty, Machado was arrested and accused of "disrespecting
the leaders of the Revolution" but was never given the opportunity to
appear in court, nor was he given a proper sentence. He has been held
captive ever since. As a graffiti and abstract artist, El Sexto has been
known to curate art around his political views, which often hint at his
resentment toward his country's tyrannical government.

"Danilo is a prisoner of conscience, deprived of his liberty as
punishment for peacefully expressing his opinions. He must be released
immediately and unconditionally and not be made to spend another second
behind bars," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty
International.

The Cuban feds reportedly promised Machado's mother that he would be
released by October 15, 2015. After the proposed date passed, the
government told Señora Machado that her son has served his time, but
they don't know when he would be let go. Stalling El Sexto's release
only bolsters Cuba's disregard for freedom of speech on the island.

"Committing to release Danilo Maldonado Machado on 15 October only to
keep him behind bars for no reason other than speaking his mind and
criticising the government is not only cruel but sends a strong message
that freedom of expression is not on the Cuban government's radar,"
added Guevara-Rosas.

Source: Art A Crime? Cuban Government Fails On Promise To Release
Graffiti Artist #ElSexto | Vibe -
http://www.vibe.com/2015/10/cuban-government-fails-to-release-wrongfully-imprisoned-artist-elsexto/