A contributor to Radio Marti was arrested Tuesday morning by Cuban authorities in Havana, the station's parent organization said in a statement.
Oscar Elias Biscet, a Radio Marti contributor, was arrested by Cuban authorities while leaving his home in Havana and is being held without explanation, according to a statement from the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
Like VOA, Radio Marti is funded by the U.S. Congress but is editorially independent.
Sylvia Rosabal, director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which oversees Radio Marti, condemned Biscet's arrest and called for his immediate release.
In a statement, Rosabal called the arrest "an obvious attempt to silence the pursuit of human rights in Cuba."
"This violation by Cuban officials should be considered yet another warning to anyone who dares to express concern about the rights of all people," she continued.
Cuba's consulate in Washington did not immediately reply to VOA's email requesting comment.
Known for covering human rights
A U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree, Biscet is known for his human rights coverage around the world and in Cuba.
Biscet has been jailed multiple times in the past. After being sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges of working with the United States to subvert the Cuban government, he spent nearly a decade in prison before international pressure led to his release in 2011.
His latest arrest coincides with the annual meeting of the Emilia Project, a campaign Biscet founded to promote democracy and human rights in Cuba.
Cuban officials detained Biscet exactly one year ago, shortly before the Emilia Project's 2023 meeting.
Despite the ever-present safety risks, Biscet has refused to leave Cuba.
Out of 180 countries, Cuba ranks 172 in terms of press freedom, according to Reporters Without Borders.
