Five of six Cuban volleyball players found guilty of rape in Finland
Five of six members of Cuba’s national volleyball team, who were arrested in July by the Finnish authorities under a charge of rape made by a citizen of that country and whose name has been kept secret, were found guilty and sentenced Tuesday (Sept. 20) to terms of up to five years in prison.
Four of the defendants were sentenced to five years in prison: team captain Rolando Cepeda Abreu, 27, and players Abrahan Alfonso Gavilan, 21, Ricardo Calvo Manzano, 19, and Osmany Uriarte Mestre, 21.
The fifth, Luis Sosa Sierra, 21, was sentenced to three and a half years, and a sixth, Dariel Albo Miranda, 24, was acquitted after the victim and the other defendants in the case assured that he had not participated in the events.
The rape of the Finnish woman took place the night of July 2, at the hotel where the Cuban team was staying during the World Volleyball League in Tampere. The defendants were arrested on July 3rd and have since remained in prison.
The trial was held in Tampere, Finland. Information regarding this strange case will be held in secret for 60 years, prosecutor Leena Kolvuniemi had announced last month. Trial documents were sealed at the plaintiff’s request.
Court documents state that the Cuban team members forced the victim “to have multiple sexual relationships through violence and the use of [victim’s] fear and helplessness.”
Lengthy ordeal
The BBC reported that “the court heard that two of the players had met the woman in a nightclub in the hotel basement. She later went to the room of one of the men, Uriarte Mestre, and consented to sex.
“However, Uriarte Mestre was then said to have texted the other men without the woman’s knowledge. They entered the room and subjected the woman to a lengthy ordeal and held her by the hair to prevent her leaving.
“When she was eventually allowed to leave, she complained to the hotel receptionist who called police.
“The men had denied the accusation, insisting the woman had given consent.”
No details on the identity of the victim has been offered, only that she was of age. The trial took place behind closed doors.
The case prevented the players from participating in the Olympic Games in Rio, where Cuba lost its five games
[Photo at top of Abrahan Alfonso Gavilan and Osmany Uriarte Mestre in a rare photo taken during the proceedings.]
