U.S. imposes visa restrictions on eight Cuban officials

The U.S. State Department on Thursday imposed visa restrictions on eight Cuban officials for their role in the detention and sentencing of protesters involved in demonstrations on July 11 last year, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

"The United States took steps to enforce visa restrictions in response to Cuban government attempts to deny Cubans their freedom and rights through continued intimidation tactics, unjust imprisonment, and severe sentences," Blinken said.