Cuba silent on Canadian's corruption trial

Posted on Friday, 05.24.13



Cuba silent on Canadian's corruption trial

The Associated Press



HAVANA -- Official silence surrounded the case of a Canadian businessman

targeted by a corruption probe in Cuba on Friday, as the initial trial

of several foreigners suspected of graft entered its second day.



Sarkis Yacoubian, 53, who partnered with the Cuban government on

multiple ventures, reportedly has been charged with bribery, tax evasion

and "activities damaging to the economy." He faces up to 12 years if

found guilty.



Yacoubian was seen entering a special courthouse on Friday, escorted by

three men who appeared to be plainclothes security.



Cuba's judicial system is known for its speedy proceedings behind closed

doors with little or no media access and the government has not

commented on Yacoubian's case, even to acknowledge that a trial has begun.



Canada's ambassador to Havana has been observing the proceedings, but

Ottawa has also kept mum except to acknowledge that it is providing

consular services to two of its citizens detained in Cuba.



"Canadian consular officials in Havana are in regular contact with local

authorities and are monitoring the situation closely," said Emma

Welford, a spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs. "To

protect the privacy of the individual concerned, further details on

these cases cannot be released."



Yacoubian has been under detention since July 2011, when his import and

transportation company, Tri-Star Caribbean, was shuttered by authorities.



Two months later, authorities raided another Canadian-run company, the

Tokmakjian Group. Its president, Cy Tokmakjian, is also expected to go

on trial soon, as are two British citizens.



More foreigners involved in the companies under investigation have not

been detained but have been unable to leave Cuba while the cases are

still open.



President Raul Castro has said that rooting out rampant corruption is

one of the country's most important challenges.



Dozens of Cuban government officials and state company executives have

been imprisoned for graft, while more than 150 foreign businesspeople

and scores of small foreign companies have been kicked out of the country.



Friday's court proceedings were held in the same refurbished mansion

where U.S. government subcontractor Alan Gross was convicted of crimes

against the state for bringing sensitive communications equipment into

the country and setting up clandestine Internet networks.



He is serving a 15-year sentence.



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Associated Press journalists Fernando Gonzalez in Havana and Rob Gillies

in Toronto contributed to this report.



Peter Orsi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Peter-Orsi



http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/24/3414454/cuba-silent-on-canadians-corruption.html