KINGSTON, Jamaica – A Cuban graffiti artist who Amnesty International argue has been unfairly held in prison for nearly a year after he painted ‘Raúl’ and ‘Fidel’ on the backs of two pigs has been named as a prisoner of conscience.

According to a release from Amnest International, Danilo Maldonado Machado, known as ‘El Sexto’, was arrested by agents of the political police (Seguridad del Estado) in Havana while travelling in a taxi on December  25, 2014 and has been in prison ever since. 

He was accused of “disrespecting the leaders of the Revolution” and sent to prison after officers opened the trunk of a taxi and found the two pigs. The artist intended to release them in an art show on Christmas Day, Amnesty International said.

The Cuban authorities’ failure to keep to their commitment to release Machado is a painful illustration of their disregard for freedom of expression, the organisation argued.

“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,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

“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,” she added.

Yesterday, prison authorities told Danilo’s mother that he had served his time but that they did not know when he would be set free. Danilo, however, has never been brought before a judge or sentenced, the release said.

“Danilo’s story has all the elements of a science fiction novel: fist he was put behind bars under the most ludicrous excuse and then kept there arbitrarily without even being charged. The fact that Cuban authorities continue to play with Danilo and his family is just shocking,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas.