José Antonio Torres is a Cuban journalist who has worked as a correspondent for the government daily Granma and who has been imprisoned on spying charges since May 2011.
[4] Torres was accused of having written a letter to Michael Parmly, former head of the Office of US Interests in Havana (SINA) and of having sought a personal interview with Parmly in which he offered to provide “sensitive information...that could place national security at risk.” Torres reportedly admitted to having written such a letter but said that he had no such information and only wished to avenge some injustice that had been visited upon his wife.
While calling for Martínez Arias’ “immediate and unconditional release,” WiPC called on Cuban authorities “to provide assurances that Torres’ and Santiesteban's sentences are not related to their reporting, and to make public details of their trials.”[2] In March 2015, Torres's case was discussed at the meeting of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) in Panama.
The IAPA expressed “appreciation” for the transfer, but reiterated its demand that Torres “be released immediately and unconditionally” and that all charges against him be dropped.
I am not nor have I ever been a spy.”[5] In a May 7, 2015, letter to French President Francois Hollande, who was about to visit Cuba, Reporters Without Borders called on him to “seek the immediate and unconditional release” of José Antonio Torres as well as of two other Cuban inmates, Yoeni de Jesús Guerra García and Angell Santiesteban-Prats.