HAVANA (AP) — A little-known Cuban writer and blogger sentenced to five years in prison for domestic violence has been campaigning for weeks to convince others that the charges are politically motivated, accusing fellow intellectuals of staying silent for fear of reprisals.

Some dissidents have rallied to Angel Santiesteban’s cause and it has been taken up by U.S. government broadcaster Radio Marti but others on the island say they are reticent to get involved in a case that is not clear-cut and involves a real-life alleged victim.