Jailed Cuban dissident leader wins Norwegian human rights award

The Rafto prize was awarded to Cuban dissident Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara for his courageous opposition to authoritarianism through art. Past winners of this prize have gone on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The foundation aims to highlight the importance of artists like Otero Alcántara in challenging power structures and defending democracy and human rights. Otero Alcántara was sentenced to five years in jail in a case that human rights groups called a “farce.” The Rafto foundation, along with other organizations, is calling for his release. Otero Alcántara will receive a diploma and $20,000 in prize money.