“The Prosecutor and Municipal Tribunal, as well as the offices of the Department of Justice, continue to perform in peacetime. Except in a case where an exceptional situation is declared, tribunals and sector prosecutors will be activated, and special legislation will be applied under the principle of unique military jurisdiction.”
Lt. Coronel Adolfo Sánchez (Chief, Cotorro Municipality Judicial Group)
The above referenced quote comes from an informative article published last month by CubaNet entitled “Legislación especial,” which was written by independent journalist Odelín Alfonso Torna.
Torna alerts to the ramifications of information technology and high tech devices that Cubans now have access to (e.g. USB flash drives, mobile phones, iPods) whereby the Cuban government is loosing control of information. Even government employees are violating security regulations exposing confidential information that is being leaked and disseminated to the populace.
He warns of an unexpected special legislation for exceptional situations (e.g. foreign invasion and popular revolt) as Cubans are presently facing repression at its “highest magnitude.”
By declaring a state of emergency during the first period of a crisis, Lt. Coronel Adolfo Sánchez (Chief, Cotorro Municipality Judicial Group) announced in documents from the Municpality of Cotorro in Havana:
“Except in a case where an exceptional situation is declared, tribunals and sector prosecutors will be activated, and special legislation will be applied under the principle of unique military jurisdiction.”
Such documents addressing this special legislation emerged from Bastion 2009 strategic military exercises that circulated among provincial and municipal commands, which were leaked, making their way to people on the streets.1
It is clear that the Cuban government will take necessary measures, including prosecution of citizens under military jurisdiction, to sustain control that is slowly unraveling as information is being technologically disseminated throughout the island about the reality of everyday life for Cubans and a government that is ever increasing its repression against them.
Notes
1. 03 FEB 2010 communication with Odelín Alfonso Torna.