José Antonio Torres

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.

Early life and education He received his journalism degree in 1990.

Career He first served as deputy director of Tele Turquino, then became a correspondent, in turn, for the National Information Agency and for Noticiero Nacional. He then became a correspondent for Granma in Santiago, Cuba's second largest city.

He was a sports commentator. He also served as general secretary of the organization of Communist Party journalists in Santiago de Cuba. There was reportedly no evidence that he actually possessed state secrets.

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.

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.

Personal life Torres is married to Mayda Mercedes.