El Sexto Released, After Almost Two Months Detention

El Sexto Released, After Almost Two Months Detention / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, 21 January 2017 — Danilo Maldonado, known as El Sexto,
was released this Saturday after spending nearly two months in prison
after being arrested on 26 November of last year for painting graffiti
with the phrase "He left" on a wall of the hotel Habana Libre, a few
hours after the announcement of the death of former President Fidel Castro.

The artist was never brought to trial and was released without
charge. "They gave my identity card and told me I would have no problem
traveling outside the country," the artist 14ymedio within hours of
being released. "I am in good health and I am very grateful for the
solidarity of all those who were aware of my situation."

El Sexto said that tomorrow he will try to leave the country and that
they gave him "a telephone number in case he had problems in
immigration," he said.

Initially the investigators who took their case told the family that the
graffiti artist would be accused of damaging state property, an offense
"that is not included in the Penal Code," according to a post published
on Cubalex's online site. "Painting the walls or facades of a hotel is
an infraction against public adornment. Inspectors of the communal
system are entitled to impose fines of 100 pesos national currency in
these cases," the text explains.

El Sexto, 32, was also imprisoned for nearly 10 months at the end of
2014 when he was arrested for painting the words "Raúl" and "Fidel," in
reference to the Castro brothers, on the side of two living pigs as part
of an artistic action entitled Animal Farm. The artist planned to
release the animals in Havana's Central Park, when he was intercepted.

On that occasion the artist was accused of contempt, a crime that is
imputed to those who lack respect for public officials.

In 2015, El Sexto received the Václav Havel International Award for
creative dissent, awarded by the Human Rights Foundation.

Source: El Sexto Released, After Almost Two Months Detention / 14ymedio
– Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/el-sexto-released-after-almost-two-months-detention-14ymedio/